HL Deb 30 July 1986 vol 479 cc827-8

2.46 p.m.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

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

The Question was as follows: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the nature of the eight incidents at Dounreay in 1984 which were categorised as serious or significant.

The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Lord Gray of Contin)

My Lords, in three of the incidents workers received respectively 150 per cent., 70 per cent. and 36 per cent. of the permissible annual dose; in two there were spillages in which no one received a measurable dose; in two others, an equipment malfunction caused a false criticality alarm; and in the last some 25 year-old low radioactive particles were found on a beach after a storm. All these incidents were minor and none was required to be reported to Ministers.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that information. Can he tell the House what the situation is since that report?

Lord Gray of Contin

My Lords, I have no further information, but I shall certainly write to the noble Lord in due course.

Lord Campbell of Croy

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that the residents of Caithness have lived beside a prototype fast-breeder reactor for years, and that the majority of them do not want to see the nuclear industry reduced in their area, and that the tranquility in these matters has been disturbed recently only by the appearance of a radioactive cloud emanating from the Soviet Union?

Lord Gray of Contin

My noble friend is absolutely correct. Both he and I live a little more than 100 miles away. We know that the people within that radius are well satisfied with the performance at Dounreay over the past 20 years.

Lord Dean of Beswick

My Lords, is the Minister not aware that members of my trade union, and other trade unionists who work in this industry, are becoming more than a little concerned and angry at some of the statements that are being made about the so-called danger factor in the nuclear industry? In fact, its record of safety is probably the highest in the industrial league. Will the Minister take every opportunity to debunk some of the statements that are being made which are quite outrageously wide of the mark?

Lord Gray of Contin

My Lords, I recognise the considerable experience of the noble Lord, Lord Dean of Beswick, in his capacity as a member of a union which is involved with the power industry. I am sure that the whole House would endorse his confidence in the nuclear industry.

Lord Paget of Northampton

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the new French nuclear plant in Brittany is giving free electricity to its neighbours and that the new plant is highly popular?

Lord Gray of Contin

My Lords, I am sure that the noble Lord is absolutely correct.

Lord Mackie of Benshie

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the way in which to keep down the rumours and to allay anxiety is to provide immediate and full information about any incidents—minor or otherwise—that occur?

Lord Gray of Contin

My Lords, it is the policy of the nuclear industry to be as open as possible about its activities. I doubt whether there is any other industry in this country which gives more information about any mishaps which may take place at its establish-ments.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the information which I have given is not rumour, but comes from the Government's own report on the subject? Is it not the case that the last report on these so-called "incidents" at Dounreay said that there were 194 such incidents, most of them, admittedly, of a minor character? However, there was a large number of incidents. That is why it is highly desirable to know about these matters as soon as possible. Will a further official report be made about what has happened between 1984 and today?

Lord Gray of Contin

My Lords, the noble Lord is absolutely correct to pursue his investigations of the nuclear industry because the nuclear industry is only too pleased to make all possible information available. If there is anything since 1984 about which the noble Lord seeks information, I shall ensure that it is made available to him.