Sellafield (Spent Fuel Discharge) (Hansard, 5 February 1986)

§ Mr. Simon Hughes (Southwark and Bermondsey)
I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No.10, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, the discharge of spent fuel at Sellafield causing danger to people."—[Interruption.]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. We are under great pressure today because of subsequent debates. The hon. Gentleman is within his rights to make a Standing Order No.10 application but I hope that he will do it briefly.

§ Mr. Hughes
The request is specific because, as I think that you are aware, Mr. Speaker, there was an incident at 11.45 this morning in the chemical separation complex at Sellafield, when radiation leaked, as has been confirmed by a spokesman for British Nuclear Fuels plc. Staff have been evacuated—

§ Mr. Robert C. Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne, North)
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I cannot take points of order during a Standing Order No. 10 application. I shall take it afterwards.

§ Mr. Hughes
The matter is important because the spokesman for BNFL has said that there has been a release of radiation into the air and the incident, in his words, was "very unusual". The House takes a serious view, as it has always done, of such incidents.
Finally, it is urgent because BNFL has refused to confirm or deny the report that the cause of the leak was the spillage of spent nuclear fuel. I ask you, Mr. Speaker, to rule that this matter can be debated under Standing Order No.10 tomorrow.

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No.10 for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, the discharge of spent fuel at Sellafield causing danger to people". I have listened with care to what the hon. Gentleman has said and the points of order earlier. I regret that I do not consider that the matter that he has raised is appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 10 and, therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.