§ Mr. Mellorasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further arrangements have been made to implement the requirements of the Community directive on the biological screening of the population for lead (77/312/EEC).
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe EC directive requires each member State to carry out two screening campaigns co-ordinated throughout the Community. The first campaign began early in 1979 and was completed in 1980. The results from the United Kingdom have been reported to the Commission and copies of the reports placed in the House Library. The second campaign is intended to build on the results of the first and will follow up any areas where high exposure was identified in 1979–80. Arrangements have now been made to carry out the second campaign in the United Kingdom beginning in the early months of this year.
The United Kingdom campaign is being co-ordinated by the Department of the Environment in co-operation with the Department of Health and Social Security and the Scottish Office. In England sampling will be carried out by local authorities working with area health authorities, and in Scotland by the University of Glasgow and the Ayrshire and Arran health board.
Sampling will take place in the areas of the London boroughs of Brent, Greenwich, Hillingdon, Islington, Lambeth, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest; Birmingham; Glasgow; Leeds; Liverpool; Manchester; Sheffield; Ayr; Bristol; Chester; Ellesmere Port; Gravesham; and Market Harborough.
Each local survey will cover up to 200 people who will each be asked to give a small sample of blood. In places where there are known sources of lead, children will be included in the surveys. Samples will be taken from volunteers from a selection of people initially approached. The procedures will ensure confidentiality of personal data and close liaison with the volunteer's family doctor.