§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons have been reported or have reported radioactive contamination to the body since 11 November 1983 within the county of Cumbria.
§ Mr. Waldegrave[pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1984, c.406]: The following is supplementary information about the results of the whole body monitoring carried out by BNFL at Sellafield, on a confidential basis, at the request of individual members of the public. Since the November incident a total of 38 people have been measured. In eight cases the measurements indicated the presence of ruthenium 106, the main isotope involved in that incident, but the quantities measured were all close to or within the limits of detection. In any event they represented only a few per cent. of the ICRP recommended annual limit of intake. Ruthenium does not present any special biological hazard; and the measurements of the overall radioactivity present showed only small percentages of ICRP limits and were within the ranges observed prior to the incident. BNFL has provided NRPB and DHSS with information in confidence and the implications of the measurements will be taken into account by Sir Douglas Black's inquiry.