§ Dr. John Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the consequences of the release of radioactive isotopes following the fire in 1957 at the Windscale nuclear site.
§ Mr. John MooreThe NRPB recently published an independent report containing theoretical calculations of the possible radiological effects of the accident over a 40-year period on the United Kingdom population as a whole.
Following recent press reports I understand that the NRPB is examining the implications for its recent report of the release of polonium from the Windscale reactor during the 1957 fire. Its findings will be published shortly.
The fact that polonium was released in the fire has been public knowledge since 1958 when two reported measures of airborne concentrations of polonium, one in the United Kingdom and one in the Netherlands, were published.
I understand from the NRPB that inclusion of the release of polonium in its assessment would not significantly alter the dose to those living closest to Windscale.
92WThe average dose to individuals from polonium would have been very small—comparable with about one week of natural background radiation.
The NRPB's estimates of health effects are highly theoretical, derived from mathematical models and the levels of radioactivity recorded in parts of the United Kingdom in the days following the accident.
As I said in a speech at the time the NRPB report was published, there was no evidence that any member of the public in the United Kingdom had contracted cancer or had died from cancer as a result of the Windscale fire of 1957. I understand that the inclusion of polonium in the assessment does not alter that position.