§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for the area of Cumbria in which there is a ban on the movement of lamb, what is (a) the total lamb population, (b) the total number of lambs sampled on each occasion a sample is taken to test for radioactivity, (c) an analysis of the radioactivity levels by convenient range of radioactivity within these samples for each day on which testing has taken place since 1 May.
§ Mrs. FennerThe information requested is as follows:
- (a) approximately 400,000 lambs under one year of age are in the designated area in Cumbria.
- (b) Ministry staff have been taking 100 to 200 lambs per week for testing within the designated area since the introduction of the emergency order on 20 June. All animals taken as samples are analysed for radioactivity.
- (c) Information on the number of samples taken and the results obtained were published by my Department in a press notice on 20 June, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The results of further monitoring will be published by my Department on a regular basis.