Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the use of deep boreholes as an alternative to the Geological Disposal Facility for nuclear waste.

Deep borehole technology is at a developmental stage of technical maturity and has not yet been implemented anywhere in the world. It is possible the technology could play a complementary role in managing some radioactive hazardous waste in the future. However, it would not be suitable for the entire UK radioactive waste inventory for which a geological disposal facility will always be required. Nuclear Waste Services, the developer of the geological disposal facility, continues to review radioactive waste management emerging technologies. It will publish its most recent review in the coming months.