MOD Agreement That Aided Dounreay Cover-Up To End

The UK government is to lose nuclear regulation powers after the radiation cover up at Dounreay. The announcement's been made by Moray's MSP Richard Lochhead. The Environment Secretary says he's bringing forward proposals to remove a so-called "gentlemen's agreement" with the Ministry of Defence. The current exemption means that all MOD sites in Scotland aren't regulated by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency where radiation's concerned. Richard Lochhead says it meant SEPA had no authority 2 years ago when there was a leak. Scottish Ministers say that's how the UK Government kept it a secret. Richard Lochhead has told Holyrood that Scottish Ministers are responding to an "abuse" of the agreement. MFR Reporter Bryan Rutherford has been following the Parliamentary statement.