§ 61 and 62. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that fish and other living marine organisms concentrate radioactive elements in their bodies; that this concentration may range from 1,000 to 100,000 times more than an equal amount of surrounding sea water; that the problems thereby created are serious; that Great Britain, the United States of America and other nations deposit radioactive waste in the sea; and what steps Great Britain, either alone or in conjunction with other nations, is taking to protect the fish-consuming public from the dangers thereby incurred.
(2) if he is aware that marine plants and seaweeds accumulate radioactivity quickly; that fish and other animals which feed on such plant life take up the radioactive elements with food, even though the water they are swimming in is not radioactive itself; that there is danger that fish swimming through an area where radioactivity is high may become contaminated and may be eaten by and thus contaminate by radioactivity bigger fish hundreds of miles away; and what researches his Department has made and what steps he is taking to protect fish in and near British waters from being contaminated by the nuclear tests planned to take place in the future.
§ Mr. GodberMy right hon. Friend is well aware that fish and other marine organisms can absorb radioactive elements, though the effluents discharged from United Kingdom sources are not such as to give the levels of concentration the hon. Member mentions. All radioactive wastes that are put into the sea from United Kingdom sources are disposed of under rigid and exacting safety controls which ensure that no dangerous concentration of radioactive elements is allowed to build up. My 139W right hon. Friend understands that no nuclear test which this country is undertaking entails any risk to the fish the hon. Member has in mind.