58. Mrs. Butlerasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what is the latest estimate of the amount of radioactive iodine in the thyroid glands of babies under two years old.
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§ Mr. Denzil FreethThis is not a significant statistic. The important considerations are the concentration of radioactive iodine in milk and the radiation dose to the thyroid gland in infants under one year, over any period of 12 months. For these infants, the acceptable dose to the thyroid gland over any period of a year is estimated to be about one rem, and the levels of radioactivity observed so far in milk from the areas with the highest concentration would not give rise to an average thyroid dose over a period of a year exceeding 0.2 rem.
§ 61. Mr. C. Hughesasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will give details of the variation of fall-out in different regions of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethThe Atomic Energy Authority monitor the radioactivity of air and rain at a number of sampling stations in the United Kingdom and overseas. The results of the measurements made, which show such local variations as exist, are published in full annually. The latest report, which covered the period up to the end of August, 1961, was published on 1st November.
The Agricultural Research Council measure the levels of radioactivity in milk and other foodstuffs in various regions of the United Kingdom and have published the results at six-monthly intervals. Recently they have published weekly statements of levels of radio-iodine in milk, of which the latest was issued on 8th November.