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2 May 2006 : Column 1375W—continued
National Institute for Medical Research
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2006, Official Report, column 1513W to the hon. Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison) on the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), if he will place a copy of Professor Blakemore's letter on moving the NIMR from Mill Hill to Euston in the Library. [65100]
Barry Gardiner:
A copy of Professor's Blakemore's reply to the hon. Member for Hertsmere will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
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Nuclear Decommissioning
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his Department's estimate is of the cost of cleaning up the UK's nuclear power plants after decommissioning. [66144]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 27 April 2006]: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) assumed responsibility for the decommissioning and clean up of the UK's civil nuclear legacy on 1 April 2005. The cost of the decommissioning and clean up of the NDA's sites is calculated by means of Life Cycle Baselines—which are long-term plans providing a detailed assessment of the scope, methodology, and time scale of proposed site activities, including the cost of its commercial operations. Based on the 2005–06 Life Cycle Baselines the NDA has estimated the undiscounted cost of delivering its mission at £62.7 billion at current prices. This is the figure given in its strategy. But the NDA has also identified a potential further £7.5 billion of costs that will need to be included in future Life Cycle Baselines. Information on Life Cycle Baselines and the long-term funding of the NDA's mission is available on its website www.nda.gov.uk
Nuclear Energy
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the merits of using pebble bed modular nuclear reactors to generate electricity. [65532]
Malcolm Wicks: The Government have carried out no technical assessment of Pebble Bed Modular Reactor systems. We are aware of the research and development work being carried out in China and South Africa on this technology, and the potential that this technology may be more proliferation resistant, economic and safer than some other types of nuclear reactor.
Nuclear Fuel (Transportation)
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government will undertake a review of the practice of transporting spent nuclear fuelby rail to take account of the increased terrorist threat. [65411]
Malcolm Wicks: The transportation of spent nuclear fuel by rail is carried out in a secure manner and in accordance with stringent security regulations—the Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003. These regulations are administered and enforced by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security, who regulate the security of such movements of spent nuclear fuel.
The security of the transportation of nuclear material was thoroughly reviewed following the events of 11 September 2001, and is regularly reviewed in light of the prevailing threat.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the security implications of the rail transportation of nuclear waste through (a) tunnels and (b) inner city areas. [65520]
Malcolm Wicks
[holding answer 26 April 2006]: The transportation of spent nuclear fuel by rail is carried out in a secure manner and in accordance with stringent
2 May 2006 : Column 1377W
security regulations—the Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003. These regulations are administered and enforced by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security, who regulate the security of such movements of spent nuclear fuel.
The security of the transportation of nuclear material was thoroughly reviewed following the events of September 11 2001, and is regularly reviewed in light of the prevailing threat.
Nuclear Incidents
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the incidents at nuclear licensed installations that met the reporting criteria for each quarter from January 1990 to date; and what the (a) location and (b) nature of each incident was. [65098]
Malcolm Wicks: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publishes quarterly statements for incidences at nuclear installations, which meet the ministerial reporting criteria.
Quarterly statements of nuclear incidents at nuclear installations from 1 October 2000 are available on the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/quarterly-stat/index.htm
37 hard copies of quarterly statements between January 1990 and September 2000 have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Post Office
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many sub-post offices have closed in East Yorkshire since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [66533]
Barry Gardiner: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. Alan Cook, the managing director has been asked to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Nuclear Research
Mr. Duncan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been committed by the
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Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to research into nuclear energy in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [66733]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 27 April 2006]: Expenditure by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council on research and related training into nuclear energy, including both fusion and nuclear fission, was as follows:
| Nuclear fission | Fusion(5) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 42 | — |
| 1998–99 | 81 | — |
| 1999–2000 | 62 | — |
| 2000–01 | 128 | — |
| 2001–02 | 325 | — |
| 2002–03 | 307 | — |
| 2003–04 | 212 | 15,630 |
| 2004–05 | 112 | 19,530 |
| 2005–06(6) | 952 | 16,990 |
(5) Responsibility for funding of Fusion research transferred from DTI to EPSRC in April 2003
(6) Estimated expenditure
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total amount spent by BNFL in supporting UK involvement in international research into nuclear power is; and if he will make a statement. [66734]
Barry Gardiner [holding answer 27 April 2006]: In financial year 2005–06 BNFL spent £4.3 million on international research on advanced nuclear systems. This included research associated with the Generation IV programme as well as joint activities involving EU partners, IAEA and OECD. This programme of work was aimed at supporting the critical skills and capabilities required to keep the nuclear option open in the UK as aligned with UK energy policy.
Postal Charges
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the price of a (a) first class and(b) second class stamp has been in each year since 1976. [65017]
Barry Gardiner: I understand from Royal Mail that the price of a (a) first class and (b) second class stamp in each year since 1976 was:
2 May 2006 : Column 1379W
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