HL Deb 24 July 1979 vol 401 cc1915-6WA
Lord HYLTON

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What would be the probable consequences of a crash at take-off, landing or during flight of an aircraft carrying plutonium from Windscale to Dounreay and what plans are in existence to deal with such a contingency.

The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT of EMPLOYMENT (The Earl of Gowrie)

The nuclear fuel assemblies for PFR which are carried by air between Windscale and Dounreay enclose numbers of fuel rods containing heat resistant ceramic pellets of uranium with approximately 30 per cent. of plutonium oxide. The assemblies are carried in containers specially constructed, tested and certified to international standards designed to ensure that material would be contained in an accident. It is therefore considered that even in an extreme accident the pellets are unlikely to be released.

Contingency plans exist to deal with any air crash. Should such a crash result in a possible radiation hazard to the public prompt specialist assistance would be provided under the National Arrangements for Incidents involving Radiation (NAIR) scheme.