HC Deb 16 July 1990 vol 176 cc441-3W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total occupational whole body equivalent radiation exposure of(a) Chatham and (b) Devonport dockyard workers in milliSieverts, for each year since the onset of the nuclear programme.

Mr. Neubert

The cumulative radiation doses for all workers at Chatham and Devonport dockyards for each of the years 1979 to 1989 inclusive are shown in the table. These figures include the cumulative radiation doses of employees monitored for exposure to ionising radiations by the local issue of direct reading dosimeters while employed under a written system of work. Figures for earlier years are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Table A

Annual individual radiation dose equivalents

Chatham

Numbers of personnel in dose ranges

10–l5mSv 15–20mSv 20–30mSv 30–40mSv 40–50mSv >50mSv >70mSv >100mSv
1979 821 57 74 37 18 1 0 0
1980 1,703 36 77 54 44 1 0 0
1981 1,285 56 84 24 7 0 0 0
1982 1,175 37 30 4 0 0 0 0
1983 446 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
1984 22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1985 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1986 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1987 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1988 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1989 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Table B

Annual individual radiation dose equivalents

Devonport

Numbers of personnel in dose ranges

10–l5mSv l5–20mSv 20–30mSv 30–40mSv 40–50mSv >50mSv >70mSv >100mSv
1979 1,258 6 1 0 0 0 0 0
1980 1,643 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1981 2,159 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1982 2,543 4 0 0 0 0 0 0
1983 2,968 26 17 5 0 0 0 0
1984 2,879 77 82 31 5 0 0 0
1985 2,831 48 44 13 0 0 0 0
1986 2,945 47 38 5 0 0 0 0
1987 2,616 34 13 6 0 0 0 0

Total occupational whole body equivalent radiation exposure
Chatham (mSv) Devonport (mSv)
1979 8,214 1,020
1980 9,653 1,712
1981 7,330 2,128
1982 4,109 2,320
1983 390 5,533
1984 62 10,140
1985 9 7,330
1986 6 6,028
1987 1 4,543
1988 2 2,760
1989 9 2,767

Mr. Alfred Morris

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 July,Official Report, column 245, concerning exposure to radiation, when the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces expects to write to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will be writing to the right hon. Member shortly.

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a breakdown for(a) Chatham and (b) Devonport dockyards of annual individual radiation exposure for workers in the bands of (i) 0 to 10, (ii) 10 to 20, (iii) 20 to 30, (iv) 30 to 40, (v) greater than 50, (vi) greater than 70 and (vii) greater than 100 milliSieverts for all years since the onset of nuclear work.

Mr. Neubert

A breakdown of annual individual radiation doses for(a) Chatham and (b) Devonport dockyard workers for each of the years 1979–89 is given in the tables. A more detailed or alternative breakdown of the figures and data for years earlier than 1979 can be produced only at disproportionate cost.

10–15mSv 15–20mSv 20–30mSv 30–40mSv 40–50mSv >50mSv >70mSv >100mSv
1988 2,676 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
1989 2,382 9 3 0 0 0 0 0
1 The 0–15mSv dose band includes those employed on written systems of work.

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