Scottish CND today condemned the Government for the secrecy surrounding their decision to take nuclear material from Georgia to Dounreay.
The failure to consult the Scottish people undermines the case that this shipment is in any way justified. The argument that this was the best destination for nuclear material from Georgia should have been exposed to public scrutiny and debate. We strongly suspect that had this been the case then the arguments we are hearing today, like the claim that the material will be used for medical purposes, would be seen to be spurious.
We should not be surprised that decisions are made in secret about nuclear plans for Caithness. After all in 1955 the Government of the day proposed conducting a nuclear weapons test near Wick. The test was only transferred to Australia because the North of Scotland was too wet ! The plan was kept hidden from the people of Scotland for 30 years and only emerged during a court case in Australia.
For years the UK Atomic Energy Authority concealed the fact that an explosion in the Dounreay waste shaft in 1977 had dispersed radioactive material all around the site.
"The Government should listen to the will of the people of Scotland on nuclear issues. We should no longer be told from on high that our land can be used to dump nuclear waste and nuclear weapons. Donald Dewar should have given Scots an opportunity to have a well informed public debate on whether or not we were willing to accept this nuclear shipment."
Said Brian Quail, Joint Secretary, Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament