§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will inquire into the cause of the escape into public waters of a considerable quantity of uranyl nitrate, suspension of uranium, from the Springfields plant of British Nuclear Fuels plc; and if he will make a statement as to its possible effects and remedies.
§ Mr. MoynihanThe circumstances surrounding this occurence are currently under investigation by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution of my Department and the nuclear installations inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive. Initial investigations have shown that a relatively small amount of uranium was released to the site foul drain which discharges to the local sewage works. Results from on-site monitoring and analysis of samples from the sewage sludge have shown levels of radioactivity to be below normal background levels and radiologically insignificant.