Windscale
Sir: Walter Paterson says (18 February) that Friends of the Earth are to publish a pamphlet for those wishing to consider the 'facts' of the Windscale inquiry. May I respectfully suggest to all recipients, including MPs who are to receive a complimentary copy, that they rely on Mr Justice Parker's Report as the authoritative document. At time of writing I do not know what the latter contains or what its conclusions are but I am content to rely upon it as the most thorough collection and analysis of the facts and fictions on the subject that we are likely to have. For FOE to imply that they can produce something more objective or factual is ludicrous beyond imagination. Regarding Mr Paterson's cornmen'ts on my letter of 11 February I relied on the following extract from the Autumn 1977 issue of FOE Supporters Bulletin: 'Thus the dominant theme of the energy campaign in the coming year will continue to be reprocessing and our objective is quite simply to create a political climate which it would be foolish for the Government to give the go-ahead to the oxide plant. We will be announcing the details of this campaign as it develops but it will include the publication of a popular pamphlet and a book on our case against reprocessing.'
If this i not a categorical statement that FOE intend to try to protract the political discussion at least throughout this year and attempt to prevent a government decision by influencing the political climate I do not know what is.
C. Al/day Managing Director, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., Risley, Warrington
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