§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Strathclyde police as to, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Hunterston, (a) what evacuation time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of the most populated 22½ deg sector from the power station out to (i) five miles, and (ii) 10 miles, (b) what time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of the population 46W within (i) five miles, and (ii) 10 miles of the power station, (c) what time estimates have been made for the evacuation of the population of Glasgow, (d) what time estimates have been made for the evacuation of high risk groups from Glasgow, (e) what time estimates have been made for evacuation of low mobility groups from Glasgow, and (f) what time estimates have been made for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets to the population of Glasgow; and if he will arrange for the basis and calculation of any such time estimates to be placed in the Library;
(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Dumfries and Galloway as to, in the event of a civil nuclear disaster at Chapelcross (a) what evacuation time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of the most populated 22½ deg sector from the power station out to (i) five miles, and (ii) 10 miles, (b) what time estimates have been prepared for the evacuation of the population within (i) five miles, and (ii) 10 miles of the power station, (c) what time estimates have been made for the evacuation of the population of Dumfries, (d) what time estimates have been made for the evacuation of high risk groups from Dumfries, (e) what time estimates have been made for evacuation of low mobility groups from Dumfries, and (f) what time estimates have been made for the distribution of potassium iodate tablets to the population of Dumfries; and if he will arrange for the basis and calculation of any such time estimates to be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Lang[pursuant to his reply, 7 April 1987, c 184]: The precautions taken in the design and construction of nuclear installations in this country and the very high safety standards applied in operating and maintaining them make it highly unlikely that accidents will occure which might significantly affect the public. But however remote the risks, all operators of nuclear installations are required by Her Majesty's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (HMNII) of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as a condition of their site licences to prepare emergency plans, including those for dealing with an accidental release of radioactivity. The same requirement also applies to the sites of the Atomic Energy Authority. These plans, on which the police and other involved bodies must be consulted, are tested regularly in exercises monitored by HMNII. They cover both emergency procedures at the site and offsite arrangements to protect the public, including monitoring and evacuation within areas which vary according to the nature of the installation. These plans are capable of extension in the improbably event of this proving necessary, but the HSE does not consider that detailed plans covering a wider area are justified. It believes that a balance needs to be struck between detailed plans that are sufficiently extensive to cope with a serious accident and the unjustified use of resources involved in planning for improbable accidents. This approach was specifically endorsed by Sir Frank Layfield in his report on Sizewell. It follows that the specific calculations and assessments sought have not been made.
In an announcement on 18 December, Official Report, column 612, following the first stage of a thorough review of existing plans and procedures in the light of experience of the Chernobyl accident, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister concluded that existing plans continue to provide a valid basis for the response to any accident in the United 47W Kingdom. In announcing his consent to the planning application for Sizewell B, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy accepted the Layfield report's recommendations relating to emergency planning. These will be taken fully into account in the continuing work on the Government review.