asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total United Kingdom expenditure on research into radioactive waste management in each year since 1970 by funding organisations and by contractor.
[pursuant to his reply, 28 February 1980, c. 735]: This expenditure is not separately identifiable from expenditure on nuclear research generally prior to 1977–78. The expenditure on research in radioactive waste management—including radioactivity in the environment—by the main funding agencies since 1977–78 is as follows:
| 1977–78 | £'000 |
| DOE | — |
| UKAEA | 1,870 |
| BNFL | 3,200 |
| MAFF | 670 |
| NRPB | 195 |
| NERC | 50 |
| Total | 5,985 |
| 1978–79 | |
| DOE | 3,400 |
| UKAEA | — |
| BNFL | 6,700 |
| MAFF | 960 |
| NRPB | 90 |
| NERC | 120 |
| Total | 11,270 |
| 1979–80 | |
| DOE | 5,000 |
| UKAEA | — |
| BNFL | 8,500 |
| MAFF | 1,020 |
| NRPB | 120 |
| NERC | 270 |
| Total | 14,910 |
In addition, there will have been some expenditure by the electricity generating boards.Except in the cases of DOE and BNFL most of the above expenditure was incurred in-house. The breakdown of DOE and BNFL expenditure for 1979–78 and 1979–80 by contractor is:
| £'000 | |
| DOE | |
| 1978–79 | |
| In-house | — |
| UKAEA | 3,400 |
| NERC | — |
| Others | — |
| Total | 3,400 |
| 1979–80 | |
| In-house | — |
| UKAEA | 4,100* |
| NERC | 830 |
| Others | 70 |
| Total | 5,000 |
| BNFL | |
| 1978–79 | |
| In-house | 5,000 |
| UKAEA | 1,500 |
| NERC | — |
| Others | 200 |
| Total | 6,700 |
| 1979–80 | |
| In-house | 5,100† |
| UKAEA | 3,000 |
| NERC | — |
| Others | 400 |
| Total | 8,500 |
* About £1 million of this was subcontracted to NERC for geological research. | |
| † Estimated. | |
NOTE: The abbreviations used are as follows:
UKAEA—United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.
BNFL—British Nuclear Fuel Ltd.
NRPB—National Radiological Protection Board.
NERC—Natural Environment Research Council.