§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any information on links between cases of leukaemia among children in the northern area of Southport and contamination of Southport beaches by discharges of nuclear waste from Sellafield nuclear power station: and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Currie[pursuant to her reply, 9 November 1987, c. 99]: Data on the incidence of leukaemia amongst children resident in the area served by Southport and Formby district health authority for the years 1984–86 have now been obtained. The data for the full period from 1976 to 1986 are given in the table. A small excess was recognised locally in 1979–80, but it was within the limits of excesses which can easily arise by chance. Since then the incidence has been slightly below the national average. For 1976–78 the data are available up to 16 years, and for the years since up to 14 years.
504W
Southport and Formby Districts—Childhood Leukaemia Cases Number 1976 2 1977 1
Cases Number 1978 1 1979 3 1980 2 1981 1 1982 0 1983 1 1984 0 1985 1 1986 2