XN000022-1986-10-15 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1986

ACTION PLEDGED ON FACT-FINDING OBSERVATIONS

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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, GAVE AN ASSURANCE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SEEK TO IMPLEMENT AS FAR AS WAS PRACTICABLE ALL OF THE SEVEN OBSERVATIONS DIRECTED TO IT BY THE COUNCIL'S FACT-FINDING DELEGATIONS.

THE SEVEN OBSERVATIONS, ALL SAFETY RELATED, WERE AMONG

50 MADE IN THE REPORT COMPILED BY THE DELEGATIONS, MR JACOBS SAID WHEN WINDING UP DEBATE ON THE DAYA BAY MOTION MOVED BY THE HON LYDIA DUNN. THE GOVERNMENT APPRECIATES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE SEVEN OBSERVATIONS, HE NOTED.

THE GOVERNMENT AGREED WITH THE FIRST THREE OBSERVATIONS WHICH RELATED TO CONTINGENCY PLANNING, HE SAID.

ON THE FIRST OBSERVATION, WHICH WAS THAT A CONTINGENCY PLAN SHOULD BE DRAWN UP FOR THOSE AREAS WHICH LAY WITHIN 50 MILES OF THE DAYA BAY PLANT, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THAT AS A MATTER OF PRUDENCE, A DETAILED CONTINGENCY PLAN SHOULD BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE REMOTE POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCIDENT AT DAYA BAY.

+WITH THIS IN MIND, THE GOVERNMENT, IN MID-1985, ENGAGED THE UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY AT HARWELL TO PROVIDE EXPERT ADVICE,+ HE SAID. HARWELL'S REPORT PROVIDING GUIDANCE FOR THE PREPARATION OF A DETAILED CONTINGENCY PLAN WAS EXPECTED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

+USING THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS REPORT, AND SUITABLY ADAPTING THE WELL FOUNDED PRINCIPLES ON WHICH EXISTING CONTINGENCY PLANS HAVE BEEN BASED, AN APPROPRIATE CONTINGENCY PLAN TO MEET HONG KONG'S CIRCUMSTANCES WILL BE PREPARED+, HE SAID.

ON THE SECOND OBSERVATION, WHICH PROPOSED THAT PROTECTIVE MEASURES SHOULD BE PLANNED AGAINST THE CONTAMINATION OF WATER AND FOOD SUPPLIES, MR JACOBS SAID THE GOVERNMENT ALREAY HAD CERTAIN CONTINGENCY PLANS TO DEAL WITH ANY DISRUPTION OF FOOD AND WATER SUPPLIES. THESE REQUIRED ADAPTATION IN RELATION TO THE DAYA BAY PROJECT.

HE ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO PUBLISH HARWELL'S REPORTS ON THESE SUBJECTS WHEN THEY WERE RECEIVED.

REFERRING TO THE THIRD OBSERVATION, WHICH WAS THAT A GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE SHOULD BE SET UP TO PREPARE CONTINGENCY PLANS, MR JACOBS SAID AN EXISTING INTER-DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP, SET UP TO CO-ORDINATE STRATEGY ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ARISING FROM THE DAYA BAY PROJECT, WOULD ACCORDINGLY BE SPECIFICALLY TASKED TO CONSIDER THE PREPARATION OF DETAILED CONTINGENCY PLANS.

/HE SAID