§ Mrs. McCurleyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish the report of the Bonnybridge/Denny morbidity review under the chairmanship of Professor Lenihan.
§ Mr. YoungerI have arranged that the report of Professor Lenihan's independent review group will be published today. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library and will also be available from the Scottish Office.
The outcome of Professor Lenihan's independent review is that the general state of human, animal and plant health in the Bonnybridge/Denny area is normal. In particular, there is no evidence of a raised incidence of cancer nor of unusual morbidity effects which can be attributed to the chemical incineration plant in the area operated by Re-Chem International Ltd. Further investigation of the incidence of congenital eye defects in young children in the area is recommended, but the Lenihan group has found no evidence to suggest that these are individually anything more than the congenital defects of this type which occur throughout the country, albeit in small numbers.
The report's recommendations are being studied carefully and I shall be acting promptly on those that concern me. The public in general should be reassured by the findings of the Lenihan report. I am most grateful to Professor Lenihan and his colleagues for the time and energy they have devoted to this important review and for producing their conclusions with commendable promptness.