HC Deb 03 July 1959 vol 608 cc77-8W
Mr. Mason

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps are being taken to train officers and men of the fire services to have a full understanding of the risks involved in the uses of radioactive materials and the techniques required to deal with those risks following accidents and fire;

(2) what are his plans for introducing legislation to control the use of radioactive materials by licence; and whether such legislation will make it incumbent upon all users to inform the local fire services of their quantity and place of storage.

(3) to what extent he is introducing standard symbols of identification of radioactive material containers, so that a code of recognition may develop and thus make it safer for firemen to recognise the degree of danger and radiation in case of accident or fire;

(4) to what extent he is providing the fire services with their own radiation monitoring equipment.

(5) whether he is yet satisfied that all fire services are being fully supplied with protective clothing and other appliances necessary in the event of accident or fire from radioactive materials.

Mr. R. A. Butler

Advice on the fire fighting hazards of radioactive materials was issued to fire authorities in October last. Training in such hazards is given at the Fire Service College and its extension is being considered. The risks to which firemen may be exposed through radioactivity are continuously reviewed in consultation with the Departments concerned and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. The Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council is also setting up a committee on the subject; it will consider, among other things, whether the provision of further equipment is necessary.

Under existing arrangements information is made available to fire authorities as to the places to which radioactive materials are delivered, either by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority or from overseas. The notification to fire authorities of the subsequent use of such materials would seem appropriate for consideration in the discussions which, as he announced in reply to a Question on 30th June (OFFICIAL REPORT, col. 25), my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government is about to have with the local authority associations.

The possibility of standardising identification symbols is being examined.