Nuclear Waste 85. Mrs. Margaret Ewing To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he was last in communication with Nirex regarding possible sites for a nuclear waste repository. 86. Mr. Andrew Welsh To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he was last in communication with Nirex regarding possible sites for a nuclear waste repository. 87. Mr. Salmond To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he was last in communication with Nirex regarding possible sites for a nuclear waste repository. Mr. Trippier My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not yet been in communication with United Kingdom Nirex. His predecessor last met senior representatives of Nirex on 15 March 1989. Officials are frequently in contact with Nirex on various matters. Mr. Strang To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money his Department is spending on research into the storage, treatment, handling and transport of nuclear waste. Mr. Trippier My Department plans to spend about £9 million in the current financial year on radioactive waste management research, including the storage, treatment and handling of nuclear waste. The transport of radioactive materials is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.