§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in the United Kingdom survey implementing the EEC directive on the biological screening of the population from lead; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FoxThe blood lead sampling programme was carried out in the spring and early summer. Local authorities are now sending the results for each survey774W to the Department of the Environment. I am placing in the Library of the House a report which is being sent to the Commission of the European Communities giving the preliminary analyses for 20 of the 40 groups of people taking part. I have also sent copies to members with a constituency interest in the results reported. Similar data for the remaining groups should be ready in the next four weeks, except for the study of mothers and children in Glasgow, which will not be completed until next year.
The directive calls for remedial action to be taken if any groups surveyed fail to meet set reference levels. All the 20 groups covered in the report meet the reference levels. A few individual cases were found of people with blood lead levels outside the EEC upper level. These people and their doctors have been contacted, the possible causes of their higher levels investigated, and advice given to them on measures they can take to reduce their exposure.