§ Mr. Pavittasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science what steps he is taking to make public information about the quantities of caesium 137 and carbon 14 now being released by the United States nuclear tests on Christmas Island, the effect of these components by irradiation of the body, the likely damage to reproductive cells, and the results of research on the genetic effects.
§ Mr. R. ThompsonI have been asked to reply.
Measurements of caesium 137 are published in the Government's monitoring reports. The quantity of carbon 14 from nuclear tests can be estimated but is small compared with that which occurs naturally. The Medical Research Council's assessment of the possible hazard to health from radioactive fallout, including caesium 137 and carbon 14, was published in their second report "The Hazards to Man of Nuclear and Allied Radiation", Cmnd. 1225.