§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all areas of United Kingdom seas in which it is known radioactive waste has been dumped; what records he holds on which companies produced radioactive waste during the second half of this century, where the place where they disposed of their waste is unknown or was at sea; and if he will make a statement about the danger of this waste. [8230]
§ Mr. RookerDumping of radioactive waste in United Kingdom waters was carried out in the Hurd Deep from 1950 to 1963 and, as reported in my written reply to my hon. Friend, the member for Kirkcaldy (Dr. Moonie) on 1 July 1997,Official Report, columns 158–60, in Beaufort's Dyke in the 1950s.
The Department does not hold records on the production by companies of radioactive waste except in relation to the authorised disposal of such waste at sea, and in relation to the Ministry's previous responsibilities with regard to authorising radioactive waste disposal from licensed nuclear sites. We have already undertaken to publish any new information which may be found in the search of archive material referred to in my written answer of 1 July.
Monitoring has shown that levels of man-made radioactivity in UK waters remain well within internationally agreed safety levels and give no cause for concern. Results of this monitoring are compiled and published annually and copies are placed in the Library of the House.