§ 46. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Prime Minister if, in view of its heavy rainfall and density of population, he will have
§ tests made by the Medical Research Council of the degree and rate of fall-out of strontium-90 in Lancashire.
§ Mr. SandysI have been asked to reply.
The Medical Research Council is obtaining samples of soil, vegetation, milk and bone from widely distributed parts of the country; and their content of radiostrontium is being analysed.
The choice of the particular sites is a matter for expert decision and will be designed to give a representative indication of levels in the United Kingdom. As the results are published, they will be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. AllaunSince the fall-out from hydrogen bombs already dropped will increase over the next twenty-eight years, will the Minister arrange for continuous inspection, and, if tragic effects emerge subsequently, will it not then be rather too late?
§ Mr. SandysIf I am still responsible after twenty-eight years, I will see what I can do about it.