STAND steering group hold meeting with Chris Gifford

Taken with permission from the July 2014 STAND against Oldbury newsletter.

www.standagainstoldbury.org  

Last week a group of STAND members had a very useful meeting with the author of books on Nuclear Power and a retired Health and Safety Executive  chief for engineering. The key points he talked about were:

·      Most people are not aware of a lack of evacuation plans and the fact you can not insure your home against radiation.

·      The safety review following Fukushima has done nothing to protect us against a similar accident. The only difference is that emergency plans have been extended from 2 to 2.5 km where the limit goes through an area of population.

·      The Government is still planning for 10 new nuclear stations.

·      The nuclear lobby is powerful and self perpetuating through bodies such as Royal Society of Engineers.

·      The Health and Safety Executive for NP has now become the Office for Nuclear Regulation.  ONR is paid for by the nuclear industry while being the only safety overseer. There is concern that ONR is bringing in a new culture, which includes "supporting economic growth", while still "holding industry to account".