The UK Windscale inquiry - towards the end of the nuclear debate

In June, 1977 the Honourable Mr Justice Parker opened the Windscale Inquiry into an application by British Nuclear Fuels Limited for planning permission for 'a plant for reprocessing irradiated oxide nuclear fuels and support site services' at their Windscale and Calder works in Cumbria. The Report of the Inquiry, concluding in favour of the development, was presented in January, 1978. The consequent legislation authorising the construction of the plant was passed in the House of Commons in May, 1978 by 224 votes to 80. The author looks at the debate surrounding the enquiry