HL Deb 12 July 1977 vol 385 cc769-70

2.44 p.m.

Lord DAVIES of LEEK

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what efforts are being made to prevent any further contamination by radioactivity of fish in the Irish Sea as a result of the release of the radioactive substance caesium 137 from Windscale into the Irish Sea, the output of that element having increased four-fold between 1973 and 1975.

Lord STRABOLGI

My Lords, caesium discharges from Windscale arise from the ponds in which irradiated Magnox fuel is stored. The long-term solution to the problem will be the completion of the new Magnox storage and decanning plant and water treatment plant for which planning approval was recently given and which will be built with high priority. In the meantime, a number of short-term measures have been implemented which have already led to an improvement in the situation, and efforts continue to keep discharges as low as practicable until the new plant is available.

Lord DAVIES of LEEK

My Lords, first I am grateful to my noble friend for the reply he has given. Secondly, I know that the pollution caused by caesium 137 increased four-fold between 1972 and 1976. The Council for the Protection of Rural Wales are worried about the radioactivity of the silt in the Ravenglass Estuary of the River Esk. Fish-eaters are now getting 35 per cent. of the maximum dose of radioactivity which is allowed. Finally, is my noble friend aware that, despite the calculations of engineers and mathematicians, the interaction of machinery and the quirks of human aberration are such that no mathematical formula, either engineering, scientific or mathematic, is foolproof in the modern world?

Lord STRABOLGI

My Lords, the growth in the cesium level was due to the water from the Magnox fuel storage ponds containing more radioactive cœsium than in earlier years because of the corrosion of the Magnox fuel elements which I regret to say, for operational reasons, had to be stored for much longer than the normal period.

Lord DUNCAN-SANDYS

My Lords, can the Minister say when he expects the new plant to be completed?

Lord STRABOLGI

Yes, my Lords, by 1981.

Lord AVEBURY

My Lords, in order that the House should be fully informed about emissions from the Windscale plant, would the Minister consider placing a transcript of the appeal hearings in the Library of your Lordships' House?

Lord STRABOLGI

My Lords, that is something that we shall consider. However, I may say that the public inquiry now in progress at Windscale relates to a quite different process from the Magnox process which is the subject of this Question.

Baroness EMMET of AMBERLEY

My Lords, taking into consideration all the difficulties which appear to beset deep-sea fish farming, will the Minister bear in mind the urgency of helping fish farming?