§ Mr. Wyn Robertsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence there is of radioactive waste from Windscale affecting marine life in the Irish Sea; and what estimate he has made of the danger, if any.
§ Mr. BishopDisposals of radioactive waste to the environment are subject to Government control under the provisions of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. Authorisations governing the discharge of radioactive effluent into the sea are drawn up in the light of guidelines on dose limits for radiation exposure issued by the International Commission for Radiological Protection and the National Radiological Protection Board. Before issuing authorisations full account is taken also of the advice of the Medical Research Council. Details of authorisations are published, and local authorities and representatives of other local interests are thus aware of the permitted level of discharges and any modifications of authorisations that might be proposed. The levels of radioactivity arising from discharges at Windscale are well within the limits recommended by the ICRP, and the levels of radioactivity in the Irish Sea are not considered to be harmful to fishery resources; nor is the level of radioactivity in fish, shellfish and other marine foodstuffs from those waters considered to involve danger to the public from their consumption.