Radioactivity (Hansard, 7 December 1988)

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the premises in Nottingham which are authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.

Mrs. Bottomley
A list of all premises in England and Wales authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 was published by the Department in April 1988 and a copy was placed in the Library of the House.

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the function of the RIMNET station at Watnall, Nottingham.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
The function of the RIMNET station of Watnall is to measure gamma dose rate.

§ Mr. Alton
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether RIMNET stations can detect(a) particulate radioactivity, (b) gaseous radionuclides and (c) radionuclides with short half-lives.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
The RIMNET monitors detect particulate and gaseous radionuclides which emit gamma radiation. They are able to detect both short and long-life radionuclides.

§ Mr. Alton
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the monitoring equipment used by RIMNET; and if he will make a statement on the future of RIMNET.
198W

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
RIMNET sites are currently equipped with Geiger-Muller gamma dose rate monitors. The proposals for the development of RIMNET are set out in the DOE booklet "Nuclear Accidents Overseas—The National Response Plan and Radioactive Incident Monitoring Network (RIMNET). A Statement of Proposals", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the sites where his Department conducts random monitoring for radioactivity in Nottingham other than at premises authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
Nottingham's drinking water is monitored regularly by HM inspectorate of pollution under the national environmental radioactivity monitoring programme. The effects of all liquid discharges in the Nottingham area are monitored by sampling the river Trent. No other monitoring for radioactivity is warranted.