HC Deb 30 October 1975 vol 898 cc584-5W
Mr. Gordon Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what facilities exist in Scotland for monitoring the increase in discharges to atmosphere likely to result from the expansion of nuclear power operations.

Mr. William Ross

Discharges to atmosphere from nuclear sites are controlled under the provisions of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. As part of the control, the site operator is required to make specified measurements of discharges of radioactivity in the surrounding area and in certain biological materials. The plants and operating records, and the results of the measurements which the operator is required to make, are examined by my inspectors, who make some similar measurements as independent confirmation.

Mr. Gordon Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland of the 2 million tons of sulphur dioxide annually emitted from British power stations, what is the estimated proportion discharged from stations situated in Scotland.

Mr. William Ross

Sulphur dioxide emission from power stations in Scotland is rather less than one-tenth of the total amount of sulphur dioxide emitted from power stations in Great Britain, which was about 2.5 million tons in 1974.