§ Mr. Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby)I beg to ask leave to present a petition from the county of Humberside. I present this petition as the representative of all the Humberside Members of all parties.
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled, The Humble Petition of the People of Humberside.Sheweth—That United Kingdom NIREX Ltd are looking for sites for the storage or disposal of radioactive waste. It is known that sites in Humberside are among those being considered. It is also known that the Secretary of State for the Environment is proposing to make a Special Development Order granting planning permission for related exploration purposes. The under-signed are totally and absolutely opposed to these proposals because they believe that they could threaten public safety, that they would seriously diminish the area's economic and social development prospects and that radioactive waste should be stored or disposed of at the site of origin.Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your honourable House will under no circumstances approve the Special Development Order allowing preliminary site exploration or associated works in connection with the storage or disposal of radioactive waste in Humberside and will take all such other action within the powers of the House to prevent a national radioactive waste storage or disposal facility being established in Humberside.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.The petition is signed by Mr. P. Wellings of County Hall Beverley. His signature is followed by 155,000 other signatures. That testifies to the overwhelming opposition that there is in the county of Humberside to the special development order that has been considered and accepted tonight and to any proposals to dump nuclear waste in Humberside.
§ To lie upon the Table.