asked the Minister for Energy if he will make a statement in relation to allegations regarding uranium mining (details supplied); whether he has had these allegations investigated; and, if so, the action that has been taken or which it is proposed to take on the matter.

The activities giving rise to the question are not, of course, uranium mining but relate to uranium prospecting.

As part of the Nuclear Energy Board's monitoring programme the stream in question was sampled repeatedly in the period February 1980 to February 1981 and I am advised by the board that analyses of the samples taken showed that the water in the stream does not present a hazard to health.

Whilst I am satisfied that no radiation hazard arises from such prospecting work I have arranged to have additional inspections carried out and to have samples taken from the water tank and further samples from the stream.