5. Mrs. Butlerasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will arrange for the publication of daily bulletins on the degree of radioactive contamination of air, water, foodstuffs and milk in the appropriate regions of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethNo, Sir. I am advised that short-term fluctuations in radioactivity have little significance.
Mrs. ButlerIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the present publication of results on a weekly basis is quite inadequate if there is a sudden increase in the radioactive contamination of food, as there may well be by strontium 90 in the spring? Cannot we have daily bulletins on similar lines to the Meteorological Office announcements, so that the public and those responsible for foodstuffs may be made immediately aware of any significant increase, and take the necessary action?
§ Mr. FreethWith regard to iodine 131 where at the moment weekly reports are being issued, I am informed that the day-to-day fluctuations give little guidance as to the trend of radioactivity. In particular, as the hon. Lady will remember, it is not only a question of taking samples but of analysing those samples and doing the necessary calculations. I am informed that the most useful guide is the average of weekly or longer periods. It is most unlikely that the rise in strontium 90 in our diet will be at anything like the speed which we had in the case of iodine 131, and I am assured that it is most unlikely that the rise could be greater than can be dealt with by the present method of sampling.