This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Radioactive waste consultation
23/01/2002
People from in and around Thurso will be asked for their views on how best they should be consulted on radioactive waste management at a meeting this Saturday.
This will be the first of several meetings to be held across Scotland as part of a Scottish Executive-sponsored project being carried out by Scottish Council Foundation.
A wide cross-section of the public invited to attend the meetings will be asked to give their views on how they want to be consulted on radioactive waste management, and what the best ways are to get them involved.
Ross Finnie, Minister for Environment and Rural Development, has said that he is committed to public participation in this important debate and has stressed the importance of the need to make the process as open and inclusive as possible.
Scottish Council Foundation (SCF) has been awarded the contract by the Scottish Executive's Central Research Unit following an open tender process. The SCF research will identify key elements of public involvement in Scotland and elsewhere. They will be undertaking in-depth interviews and further focus groups across Scotland with members of the public and with stakeholders. A key part of the study will also be to consider issues raised specifically by young people in Scotland. Most of the interviews will take place in January and February. A report of the findings will be published by the Central Research Unit: expected to be in April 2002.
Scottish Council Foundation is at 23 Chester Street, Edinburgh, tel: 0131-225-4709 - contact is Deirdre Elrick - who can also emailed at deirdre@scottishpolicynet.org.uk
The consultation paper Managing Radioactive Waste Safely - Proposals for developing a policy for managing solid radioactive waste in the UK - was launched in Scotland on 13 September 2001. It was published jointly with the UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and other Devolved Administrations and comments are sought on it by 12 March 2002. It does not propose solutions for the management of radioactive waste. It invites views on how best to take forward a thorough public debate on a proposed programme for reaching decisions and on the form of an independent advisory body.
A copy of the consultation document can be accessed via the Scottish Executive website @
www.scotland.gov.uk/views/views.asp
Responses to the consultation should be sent to John Langlands, who can
be contacted at:
The Scottish Executive
Environment Protection Unit
Radioactive Waste Team
Area 1-J (North)
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
fax: 0131-244-0245
email: john.langlands@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
People can enter into a public debate on the consultation document at UKOnline @ www.ukonline.gov.uk/citizenspace/consultations
The Scottish Executive will also be undertaking an omnibus survey to seek the views of people across Scotland on this consultation document. This is expected to take place in February.