Shale Deposits, West Lothian

HC Deb 31 January 1956 vol 548 cc97-8W

Mr. J. Taylor

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will cause an investigation to be made into the shale deposits in West Lothian as a possible source of fissionable material for nuclear fuel.

Mr. R. A. Butler

The answer must be "No." The shale deposits in West Lothian have a very low uranium content, which does not exceed 20 parts per million, and no process for extracting it at an economic cost is at present known.