Dounreay Leak

12.00.00am GMT Wed 13th Nov 2002

Commenting on the report by UKAEA of contamination detected at Dounreay site D2001, local MP John Thurso said:

"Obviously, it is of grave concern that contamination should have occurred at Dounreay. It is essential that UKAEA investigate the cause and report promptly so that any necessary lessons can be learned.

However it is important to recognise that the monitoring system which exists to detect precisely this kind of event has worked efficiently, enabling containment and decontamination measures to be taken promptly.

Any incident of this kind must be taken extremely seriously. However over dramatising the event is unhelpful, it is far more important to make an objective assessment and to ensure that workers are fully protected in the future."