Clause 7 - Additional responsibilities under designating directions
Energy Bill [Lords]
3:45 pm
Mr Nigel Griffiths (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry; Edinburgh South, Labour)
I refer the hon. Lady back to clauses 6(4)(e) and 8(5)(e), which make it clear that the NDA will have the skills and expertise to manage clean-up
operations on publicly owned land. Those two clauses allow for private land to be similarly treated when the private sector operator concerned consents. It is inconceivable that the operator would not consent. Clause 7(2) limits the land and facilities under consideration to that owned or occupied by the person with control of a principal nuclear site. That sets the extent of the powers.
In answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kemptown, the clean-up of private sector nuclear sites is the financial responsibility of the operator concerned. It is possible for the NDA to be given responsibility for securing the clean-up of private sector sites, but the costs would continue to be borne by the private sector itself.
Finally, I can tell the hon. Member for Vale of York that it would not be our intention to see the nuclear waste going to the world-class facility at Sellafield from the Scottish stations to be held up at either Carstairs or the border while securing certification. Only someone who had not thought through the consequences of this serious matter would put forward such a proposal.
As far as I know, there is no proposal for Scotland to have an independent facility for safely disposing of expended nuclear fuel. There is common agreement on that among the Scottish Executive, the Government and anyone with a sensible point of view.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 7 ordered to stand part of the Bill.