3.3.1 Historical Perspective, Public Consultation, Policy Decisions, and Responsibilities

Previous investigations concerning the geodisposal of UK ILW between the 1980s and 1990s were not successful and were effectively abandoned in 1997.13 However, in 1999, the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Com­mittee report on the status of UK radioactive waste13 concluded that geolo­gical disposal was feasible and desirable but that the public should be consulted on future policy decisions. Accordingly, in 2001, the UK Govern­ment initiated the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely (MRWS) programme with a public consultation, to find the best practicable management solution for UK’s HAWs. Following feedback from the consultation process, the Government commissioned the Committee for Radioactive Waste Manage­ment (CoRWM) to offer independent advice on the best HAW management pathways. In 2006, CoRWM submitted a range of recommendations to the Government, indicating a preference towards geological disposal, coupled with safe and secure interim storage, and a programme of ongoing research and development.4 In response, the Government announced their plans for the long term management of HAWs to Parliament in October 2006.5 The announcement accepted CoRWM’s recommendation of geological disposal and the Government instigated a further period of consultation to investigate how geological disposal should proceed. After consultation, the Government White Paper Managing Radioactive Waste Safely: A Framework for Imple­menting Geological Disposal was published in 2008.[37] This document sets out the detailed policy and plans for geodisposal, and identifies the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) as the body responsible for managing the delivery of UK geological disposal. In response, the NDA created the Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD) to facilitate this process. The MRWS White Paper also identified that: (i) the Government would retain responsibility for policy concerning geological disposal; (ii) independent regulators would oversee adherence to national and interna­tional statutory controls; and (iii) CoRWM would be retained to provide independent scrutiny and advice to the Government on geological disposal plans and programmes.