§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will state, following the meetings in Vienna on 25 August, relating to the Chernobyl disaster, how many additional deaths due to cancer it is estimated will occur in Europe over the next 70 years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CurrieI have been asked to reply.
Estimates of radiation doses and consequences are not yet available for the whole of Europe.
Estimates for the European Community have been made by the National Radiological Protection Board. Based on the dose-risk relationship currently accepted internationally, the number of cancer deaths in the Community over the next 70 years that might be attributable to Chernobyl is in the region of 1,000. On the same basis, some 50,000 cancer deaths would be attributable to natural sources of radiation out of the total of about 50 million cancer deaths from all causes.