§ Mr. Stevensasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the detailed results of the United Kingdom part of the first campaign in the European Community population screening programme for lead.
§ Mr. Giles ShawA report entitled "European Community Screening Programme for lead: United Kingdom Results for 1979–80" will be published early in August. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House. The report fills in the detail which underlay the summary of results which was placed in the Library last year.
The blood-lead levels of the population screened were generally well within the reference level prescribed by the European Community directive which governed the campaign: and the results, which were taken into account before my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Environmental Services made his statement about lead on 11 May, provide no cause for alarm. Given however that about 1 per cent. of the sample population registered blood-lead levels above the reference level of 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres, they confirm the need for continued vigilance, especially where people are exposed to lead from a number of sources at once.
The second and final campaign of the screening programme has just been completed. Provisional results will be announced as soon as they are available, with detailed results to follow.