HC Deb 18 April 1983 vol 41 cc12-3W
Mr. Race

asked the Prime Minister how many persons have died in each year to date as a consequence of the release of polonium and other radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere at the Windscale fire of 1957.

The Prime Minister

There is no evidence that anyone in the United Kingdom has died as a consequence of the release of polonium and other radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere at the Windscale fire of 1957.

Mr. Race

asked the Prime Minister how many staff at Windscale have been taken off duty since 1952 because they were contaminated by polonium.

The Prime Minister

I understand that a complete check would require examination of tens of thousands of records. However, the summary documents and individual records that it has been possible to examine in the time available provide no evidence that any person was permanently withdrawn from further work with radiation as a result of contamination by polonium at Windscale.

Mr. Race

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will conduct a health screening programme on all persons who may have been affected by the fire at the Windscale reactor in 1957; and if she will make a statement.

The Prime Minister

The National Radiological Protection Board is the body responsible for carrying out research into radiation hazards from all sources including incidents such as the 1957 Windscale fire. Further to its recent report on the fire, and as part of its long-term research, the board is continuing its studies of the incidence of thyroid cancer using available evidence from the population as a whole. An extended study of the incidence of all cancers in Cumbria is also being carried out on behalf of the Cumbria district health authority, and the NRPB has kept in close touch with this research.

In 1975 the NRPB set up a national register of all radiation workers, and the board is analysing mortality amongst these workers looking particularly at death rates from malignant diseases. The register will include data provided by British Nuclear Fuels Limited, which is carrying out its own study of the causes of death of employees and ex-employees at all its sites including Windscale. The findings of all these studies will be published as soon as they become available.