§ Mr. Sydney Irvingasked the Minister of Health (1) what steps are being taken to ensure that general practitioners and others are aware of the risks in diagnostic radiology;
(2) when he expects to receive the report of Lord Adrian's Committee on the hazards from radiation.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have just received an interim 145W report from Lord Adrian's Committee and I should like to take the opportunity to express our sincere thanks to the Committee for the work they have done and are doing. The report will be published as soon as possible. It deals mainly with mass miniature radiography, the value of which the Committee consider far outweighs any effects of the very small amount of radiation involved. It also includes some preliminary observations on radiological procedure generally, but comprehensive recommendations on this must await the completion of the detailed survey of present practice which the Committee are making. Meanwhile, the need to keep exposure to medical radiation to the minimum is well recognised by the medical profession, and advice on the subject is available from the sources described in the Answer I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Dr. Stross) on 12th May, 1958.