To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information his Department gave to Nirex which enabled Dounreay to be placed on the short list as a possible site for the disposal of radioactive waste; and if he will make a statement.

The decision by Nirex to include Dounreay on the short list of sites for investigation was taken as a result of their own site selection procedure. I am not aware of any information provided by the Scottish Development Department which was material to this decision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has made any predictions of the economic effects upon the local economy of Caithness should Dounreay be chosen by Nirex for the disposal of solid low and intermediate-level radioactive waste; and if he will make a statement.

The economic effects would depend on the nature of any disposal facility which might be established. As a basic guide Nirex has suggested that, if construction were phased, some 350 jobs on construction and operation would be created during the 50-year operational life of the repository, without taking account of associated secondary employment.