§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 20 areas in England and Wales with the highest levels of naturally occurring radioactivity and the reasons why these levels occur in the areas concerned.
§ Mr. WaldegraveAccording to information supplied by the National Radiological Protection Board the 20 sites in England and Wales which show the highest gamma radiation dose rates due to naturally occurring radioactivity present in the ground are as follows:
radioactivity is the present in the ground of minerals with radioactive content. Radioactivity may also manifest itself in the form of radon gas.
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§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the monitoring of the atmosphere in and around nuclear establishments operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe nuclear establishments of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) are required under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 to seek authorisation from relevant Ministers for any discharge of radioactive wastes to atmosphere. As a condition of these authorisations the UKAEA and CEGB are required to monitor the discharges and their effects on the environment. These results are checked by the authorising Departments which also undertake independent monitoring. I am satisfied that the discharges continue to pose no threat to the public.