HC Deb 03 March 1986 vol 93 cc23-4 3.37 pm
Mr. Douglas Hogg (Grantham)

I also 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 anxieties, potential financial loss and planning blight caused by the announcement that Fulbeck airfield is a possible site for disposing of nuclear waste. Last week, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced that Fulbeck airfield is to be one of four possible sites for disposing of nuclear waste. My constituents have greeted this announcement with a justifiable mixture of shock, disbelief, grave concern and total opposition.

Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)

I bet they have.

Mr. Hogg

They are sentiments that I wholly share.

As part of this application, I need to make it clear that my constituents and I will resolutely oppose this application unless and until four conditions are satisfied.

The first is that the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive must prove that this method of disposing of waste is the only proper way of disposing of that material. Secondly, it must be proved that Fulbeck is the only proper site. Thirdly, it must be established that the scheme is absolutely safe. Lastly, all financial damage must be fully compensated. My constituents and I do not believe that any, far less all, of these conditions will be satisfied. Unless and until they are, we are wholly opposed to what NIREX has in mind.

As to recent developments which justified this application, there is clear and pressing evidence that contracts for the sale of property will fall through as a consequence of this application and that severe financial loss will be suffered by my constituents.

It is against this background that I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg) 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 anxieties, potential financial loss and planning blight caused by the announcement that Fulbeck airfield is a possible site for disposing of nuclear waste. I regret that I have to give the same answer to the hon. Member as I gave to the hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw). I do not consider that the matter that he has raised is appropriate for discussion—[Interruption.] Order. I do not consider that the matter that he has raised is appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 10. I therefore cannot submit his application to the House.

Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours (Workington)

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker

I will take the hon. Member for Preston (Mr. Thorne) first.

Mr. Stan Thorne (Preston)

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In reply to the application of my hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) under Standing Order No. 10 you referred to the importance of tomorrow's business as one of the reasons why you felt obliged to reject the application. One item of tomorrow's business is the Salmon Bill—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I think that the hon. Gentleman misheard. I said that the application did not meet all the criteria laid down in the Standing Order. That is a different matter.

Mr. Thorne

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. If the hon. Gentleman is challenging my decision, I am not interested.

Mr. Thorne

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. The urgency of this matter in Lancashire—

Mr. Speaker

Order. That is a continuation of the application. I will take the point of order from the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours).

Mr. Campbell-Savours

Have your received notice, Mr. Speaker, from the Government Chief Whip that he intends to apply for a debate on nuclear waste tomorrow under Standing Order No. 10?

Mr. Speaker

If he had made an application, I would have heard it.