That this House is extremely concerned to learn that British Nuclear Fuels Limited is providing expert support to Rio Tinto plc, the multinational mining conglomerate, to assist it in defending claims arising from the operation of the former Capper Pass Smelting Plant near Hull in East Yorkshire; recalls that over 600 ex-employees and residents have suffered cancer, leukaemia and other serious illnesses, caused by exposure to radioactivity and toxic substances; expresses further concern that Rio Tinto's experts include BNFL's Principal Research Scientist and its former Head of Environmental Protection, formerly Chief Executive of WestLakes Scientific Consulting and currently Principal Consultant, WestLakes Research Institute, set up by BNFL; notes that a third expert advised BNFL in the Sellafield childhood leukaemia cases; concludes that BNFL is determined that the Capper Pass claims should fail, to avoid any finding that environmental and occupational exposure to radioactivity has caused cancer and leukaemia, thereby setting a precedent to be relied upon by Sellafield campaigners on both sides of the Irish Sea; deplores the fact that BNFL's alliance with Rio Tinto, against the Capper Pass families, has created a grossly unequal contest, entailing two Goliaths turning up for the fight with David; and calls upon BNFL and Rio Tinto to desist forthwith from such oppressive bullying tactics.

That this House is extremely concerned to learn that British Nuclear Fuels Limited is providing expert support to Rio Tinto plc, the multinational mining conglomerate, to assist it in defending claims arising from the operation of the former Capper Pass Smelting Plant near Hull in East Yorkshire; recalls that over...

That this House congratulates the claimants in Kingston Upon Hull and East Yorkshire, upon the successful conclusion of their mediation against Rio Tinto plc, the UK-based multinational mining corporation; applauds the ensuing implementation of the Capper Pass Claims Review Scheme to provide compensation for those who have suffered disease or death, resulting from the operation of the Capper Pass Smelting Plant in Hull, formerly the world's largest smelter; welcomes the extension of that scheme to cover employees and contractors, together with their families, residents, schoolchildren and those who suffered foetal exposure to that Plant's toxic, carcinogenic and radioactive emissions, without geographical limitation; acknowledges with gratitude the invaluable contribution of Sir Philip Otton, Chairman of the Claims Review Scheme Board, whose remarkable skills as a mediator succeeded in bringing the parties together, a Herculean task, in order that all concerned might now work constructively, with the renewed determination and purpose, to bring justice to each and every family concerned; and marks this great achievement, by paying tribute to the late Arthur Gray, for his courage and tenacity in leading the campaign against Rio Tinto, together with the strength of character and fortitude shown by him, in continuing that struggle whilst terminally ill with lung cancer.

That this House congratulates the claimants in Kingston Upon Hull and East Yorkshire, upon the successful conclusion of their mediation against Rio Tinto plc, the UK-based multinational mining corporation; applauds the ensuing implementation of the Capper Pass Claims Review Scheme to provide compensation for those who have suffered disease or...

That this House notes with regret that Rio Tinto plc, the world's largest and wealthiest mining multinational, continues its appalling treatment of workers and residents in Kingston Upon Hull and East Yorkshire, who seek no more than the just determination of their claims for industrial disease and death, resulting from the operation of the former Capper Pass Smelting Plant; pays tribute to Sir Philip Otton, Professor Malcolm Harrington, Professor Anthony Newman Taylor and Professor David Coggon, the eminent members of the proposed Capper Pass Claims Review Scheme, for their commitment and dedication, in seeking to discharge their professional duties; further notes that the process is at risk of further delay, due to Rio Tinto's attempts to deprive the claimants of their legal rights to pursue cases for pre-November 1967 exposure to carcinogens, heavy metals and ionising radiation; recalls that Rio Tinto had also sought to deny the claimants' the right to pursue asbestos-disease claims; believes that by such underhand tactics, Rio Tinto are seeking to break the claimants' resolve; understands that in consequence of such shabby conduct, the Australian Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union has written to one bereaved family in Hull, asserting that Rio Tinto were continuously acting in an offensive and disgraceful manner, a sentiment which is not at risk of contradiction; demands that Rio Tinto should respect the pre-1967 legal rights of the claimants, and commit forthwith to the Claims Review Scheme; and considers that in default, the Chairman and Board of Rio Tinto should reconsider their positions.

That this House notes with regret that Rio Tinto plc, the world's largest and wealthiest mining multinational, continues its appalling treatment of workers and residents in Kingston Upon Hull and East Yorkshire, who seek no more than the just determination of their claims for industrial disease and death, resulting from...

That this House expresses its condemnation of Rio Tinto, the UK based multinational mining conglomerate, for having sought to avoid liability for asbestos-related disease claims, under the proposed Capper Pass Claims Review Scheme; is gravely concerned to learn that former workers, as well as residents in Kingston upon Hull and East Yorkshire, or their next of kin, who have suffered industrial disease or illness, as a result of exposure to carcinogens, ionising radiation and toxic substances, arising from Rio Tinto's operation of the former Capper Pass Smelting Plant near Hull, are still waiting for compensation; declares its support for those families; commends them upon their courage and tenacity in standing up to Rio Tinto; is appalled by the fact that Rio Tinto's decision to exclude asbestos was kept secret until the final stages of mediation, a full 15 months after the claimants' solicitor had accepted the Claims' Review Scheme in principle; and demands that Rio Tinto should now acknowledge and accept its responsibility towards all of the claimants, to include those who have suffered asbestos-related disease or death and ensure that in the future it ceases to deploy such delaying and obstructive tactics.

That this House expresses its condemnation of Rio Tinto, the UK based multinational mining conglomerate, for having sought to avoid liability for asbestos-related disease claims, under the proposed Capper Pass Claims Review Scheme; is gravely concerned to learn that former workers, as well as residents in Kingston upon Hull and...

That this House regrets that Rio Tinto plc, the London-based mining conglomerate, has adopted underhand tactics in its claims review scheme, arising from its operation of the former Capper Pass Smelting Plant, Hull; regrets that Rio Tinto has seen fit to process personal data and to write to many of the claimants, effectively seeking to undermine and criticise their legal representation; notes that Rio Tinto refused to give any undertaking to the solicitor representing over 300 living or deceased former workers and residents to desist from such unacceptable conduct in the future; recognises that those solicitors cannot release to Rio Tinto the names and addresses of all the claimants in connection with a claims review scheme without such an undertaking; commends the claimants for lodging a complaint with the Data Protection Commissioners; notes that in consequence the Assistant Commissioner has made an adverse provisional assessment against Rio Tinto, as a registered data controller that it is unlikely that Rio Tinto has processed personal data in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and that it should review its processing accordingly; and calls upon Rio Tinto to refrain from such misconduct in the future to enable the claims review scheme to be implemented without further delay.

That this House regrets that Rio Tinto plc, the London-based mining conglomerate, has adopted underhand tactics in its claims review scheme, arising from its operation of the former Capper Pass Smelting Plant, Hull; regrets that Rio Tinto has seen fit to process personal data and to write to many of...

That this House expresses its great concern that it has taken the Health and Safety Executive 15 months to undertake disclosure of its evidence arising from the regulation of health and safety at the Capper Pass Smelting Plant, Hull, operated by London-based Rio Tinto plc, the world's largest mining company; deplores the fact that Rio Tinto actively obstructed or impeded such disclosure; recalls that Rio Tinto previously adopted the same tactics to avoid release of its workers' occupational medical records; and castigates Rio Tinto for failing to honour its commitment to expedite the setting up of its claims review scheme.

That this House expresses its great concern that it has taken the Health and Safety Executive 15 months to undertake disclosure of its evidence arising from the regulation of health and safety at the Capper Pass Smelting Plant, Hull, operated by London-based Rio Tinto plc, the world's largest mining company;...

That this House welcomes the news of the successful campaign waged against Rio Tinto plc by former workers, their families and residents in respect of industrial diseases, illnesses and deaths resulting from its operation of the former Capper Pass tin smelter; cautiously supports Rio Tinto's proposals to set up a claims tribunal to decide compensation according to the merits; notes Rio Tinto's decision not to contest whether the injuries, illnesses and deaths arose through negligence, to admit that it owed a duty of care and to waive statutory time limits, but expresses great concern that Rio Tinto refuses to meet the generic or individual legal costs of the claimants, thereby attempting to debar them from pursuing their cases, and calls upon it to reconsider such refusal; is disappointed at Rio Tinto seeking to silence its critics by claiming that disclosure of its proposals constitute irresponsible publicity, by encouraging wholly unmeritorious claims; notes that since the disclosure 60 new claims were lodged, including 15 deaths resulting from liver, oesophageal and lung cancer, brain tumours and Hodgkins Disease, 19 cases, lung cancer, respiratory disease, skeletal disintegration, thyroid disease, leukaemia and epilepsy, deaths of residents including children aged between four and 14 years, from brain tumours, bone cancer, neuroplasma and leukaemia, and illnesses of residents including brain tumours, leukaemia, Hodgkins Disease and myeloma; and calls upon Rio Tinto to recognise its responsibilities and to desist forthwith from further attempts to discredit the claims of workers, families and residents and expeditiously make provision for the payment of full compensation and costs.

That this House welcomes the news of the successful campaign waged against Rio Tinto plc by former workers, their families and residents in respect of industrial diseases, illnesses and deaths resulting from its operation of the former Capper Pass tin smelter; cautiously supports Rio Tinto's proposals to set up a...

That this House is gravely concerned to learn that the London-based Rio Tinto, the largest mining company in the world, has made a series of false statements to the effect that during its operation of the Capper Pass Tin Smelter in Hull, it had fully complied with all environmental, health and safety regulations; notes that there is incontrovertible evidence that the Health and Safety Executive had served a statutory improvement notice identifying contravention of sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Etc, Act 1974 and section 63 of the Factories Act 1961 and that the Health and Safety Executive had also served upon the company a major report identifying the extremely limited competence of safety management, and major breaches of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1989, the Control of Lead at Work Regulations 1980 and the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985; further notes that there were repeated breaches of environmental regulations and statutory licences governing discharge of toxic substances into the River Humber; deplores the refusal of Rio Tinto to answer the specific allegations put to its Executive Chairman on 7th October 1999 concerning the promulgation of those false statements by senior executives of the company; and urges Her Majesty's Government to institute a full public inquiry and report back to this House.

That this House is gravely concerned to learn that the London-based Rio Tinto, the largest mining company in the world, has made a series of false statements to the effect that during its operation of the Capper Pass Tin Smelter in Hull, it had fully complied with all environmental, health...