HC Deb 13 January 1989 vol 144 cc780-1W
Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the emergency arrangements of British Nuclear Fuels for Chapelcross nuclear power station if the Pan American airliner had crashed there or any part of it had fallen on Chapelcross; what discussions he has had with British Nuclear Fuels following the crash; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lang

[holding answer 12 January 1989]: The emergency arrangements at Chapelcross are prepared by the operators, British Nuclear Fuels plc, and approved by Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate (NII) of the Health and Safety Executive, under the terms of the site licence, on a basis similar to that used at all other civil nuclear power stations in Great Britain. I am advised that the NII regards the probability of a direct strike by an aircraft or significant part of one leading to an uncontrolled release of radiation as extremely low and considers that no change in current emergency arrangements to cater specifically for aircraft crashes would be appropriate.

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