SELLAFIELD: PULL THE PLUG ON MOX AND SORT OUT RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION

11.34.44am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 10th Jun 2003

As the Irish Government brings legal action to close the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant, the Liberal Democrats said today that the British Government has not taken adequate measures to reduce the environmental risks at Sellafield and should pull the plug on the ill-fated MOX enterprise.

Andrew Stunnel MP, Liberal Democrat Energy Spokesman, said: "The legal action by the Irish Government underlines the fundamental problems of the whole concept of a MOX plant. The MOX plant is designed to produce fuel no one wants, by a method they can't make work and at a huge cost to the British taxpayer and the international envrionment."

"The British Government should pull the plug on the ill-fated MOX enterprise and orders BNFL to switch to using its skills to set world standards in decommissioning."

Norman Baker MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, added: "This legal action demonstrates the anxiety felt by the Irish Government and the inability of the British Government to address those concerns. "

"There is an environmental risk at Sellafield. The British Government has not taken the measures to reduce that risk."