§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances his Department's employees have been involved in monitoring of beaches in Cumbria for radiation; and what were their findings.
§ Mr. PattieThe Ministry of Defence regularly monitors the beaches in the immediate vicinity of Barrow to determine the amount of Cobalt-60. The measurements indicate that there is no radiological hazard to any member of the general public in the area from the operation of nuclear-powered submarines.
Also, since November 1983 when the Government advised people not to use the beach between St. Bees Head and Eskmeals unnecessarily, a health physics monitor has been included in the teams sent onto the beach to recover 524W debris from the activities of the proof and experimental establishment Eskmeals. On one occasion the extent of radioactivity on the beach slightly exceeded the expected background; this was within the range reported already in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food director ate of fisheries research annual report.