Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their plans for (1) Ennerdale, and (2) the Ennerdale granite, in their future nuclear waste disposal policy.

The Government has no plans for Ennerdale and the Ennerdale granite in its proposals for developing a Geological Disposal Facility to provide a permanent and safe solution for the disposal of higher activity radioactive waste. The Government recently consulted on draft policy proposals for delivering a consent-based process for identifying a suitable location to site such a facility. The Government is currently analysing responses to the consultation and will publish a response in due course. No sites have been identified and it is proposed that any interested communities will be able to begin formal discussions with the Government following the publication of the response to the consultation and the launch of the siting process.