HC Deb 09 May 1986 vol 97 c302W
Mr. Marlow

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what scientific evidence is available to him to account for the absence of traces of plutonium in the fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in the Soviet Union.

Mrs. Rumbold

No direct scientific evidence is available to account for the absence of plutonium in the fallout observed in western Europe. However, significant emission of plutonium would be expected only if very high temperatures were reached during such an accident and it may be that high enough temperatures have not been attained.