Nuclear Waste

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58.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect recent earth tremors in Northern England have had on his announcement that Northumberland granite is a material suitable for investigation for the nuclear waste storage programme.

The recent earth tremors emphasise the need to carry out compre-

RATE SUPPORT GRANT
£ million
			1974–75	1975£76	1976£77
Barnsley	…	…	24·986	32·264	35·980
Doncaster	…	…	30·557	43·081	47·394
Rotherham	…	…	26·435	36·336	39·974
Sheffield	…	…	52·451	70·377	76·763
Total	…	…	134·429	182·058	200·111

£ million
			1977–78	1978–79	1979–80
Barnsley	…	…	38·449	41·440	47·208
Doncaster	…	…	48·266	51·192	56·594
Rotherham	…	…	43·045	45·437	51·577
Sheffield	…	…	83·672	88·104	93·856
Total	…	…	213·432	226·173	249·235

The initial calculations of the resources element for 1980–81 will depend on the authorities' estimated expenditure for the year and the first calculation of the domestic element has not yet been completed. The needs element allocations for the year under the 1980–81 main order are:

	£ million
Barnsley	23·173
Doncaster	29·978
Rotherham	25·473
Sheffield	53·987
Total	132·611

hensive investigations into the characteristics of rocks if we are to assess properly whether the disposal of radioactive waste underground is likely to be feasible. The geological research programme has always included study of seismological factors. In particular it will look at the extent of any fracturing caused by such tremors.

Volume 977: debated on Wednesday 30 January 1980