§ 105. Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Air, in view of the need to obtain a continuous check on radioactive fall-out following atom and hydrogen bomb tests, and an equal urgency to assess its dangerous effects, what consultations have taken place between his Department 147W and the Medical Research Council to use the specially trained members of the Observer Corps towards this end.
Mr. WardAs announced by the Prime Minister on 31st October, 1957, arrangements have already been made for the monitoring of radioactive fall-out in the air, water, soil herbage, milk and other foodstuffs and human and animal bones throughout the country. The Royal Observer Corps, which is manned by part-time volunteers, has no responsibility for regular measurements under these arrangements, and its training is not directed towards checking radioactivity at the levels with which the research bodies are concerned.