10. Will the Minister make a statement on Radioactive Waste Management's current consultation on a location for a geological disposal facility? OAQ53642

Thank you. Radioactive Waste Management held a series of consultation events on their site evaluation process for a geological disposal facility. There were eight events in England and two in Wales. The events in Wales were conducted by webinar. 

Well, the first of those public consultations was held in public, but, of course, some opposition was expressed to the idea of having a radioactive waste disposal site in Swansea, and then it was changed to be a webinar rather than the public meeting that was scheduled to happen in Llandudno. There are certain people in my constituency who have raised concerns that there is an attempt here by RWM to move towards being less open in their consultation.

Now, I do have concerns about many elements of the consultation by RWM. One of the things that concerns me greatly is that one landowner, or one business, even, can request to express an interest in starting a consultation on providing a geological disposal site for radioactive waste. I think that’s entirely unacceptable, particularly in a context where local authorities, in their entirety, have already said that they don’t wish to look at the possibilities in their own areas, as Anglesey council has done. Would you agree with me that if a council says, 'No facility in our area', that should be the end of it? And do you agree with me that councils in Wales should be expressing that clearly between now and the end of the consultation on 14 April, that we don't welcome geological disposal sites here in Wales? 

I certainly think if a council expresses this, absolutely it should be taken as read by RWM. I want to be very clear that Welsh Government has not identified any sites or communities in Wales where a geological disposal facility could be sited, nor will we seek to do so. Our policy is very clear: a GDF can only be built in Wales if there is a community willing to host it. 

I was horrified when I learned that Swansea, as we heard, was one of the areas that was up for consideration by this company, and like many others I've made my own feelings clear about that within the consultation. You repeated again today that this is very much a matter for local communities to decide, and I'm grateful for the confirmation we heard then, but does Welsh Government plan to make any submission to the consultation itself? And if not, for various reasons, would you just confirm that individual members of Government who just happen to be in Government, but who represent areas around Swansea, would be free in their capacity as Assembly Members to respond to any such consultation? 

I won't be submitting a response. However, I did meet with RWM to make sure that the points raised by Rhun ap Iorwerth were absolutely taken on board. I also felt because they changed the Swansea one to a webinar, that the Llandudno one should be a webinar. As a north Walian, I'm very alive to the view that north Walians want to be treated the same as south Walians, so I made that point to them. I'm not sure if they thought I was being a bit flippant, but I really thought that was very important, that everyone was treated the same.   

Thank you, Minister.