§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Paymaster General what is his Department's estimate of the number of workers exposed to some level of radiation in Britain at the latest available date; and how many of them are required to be monitored for radiation exposure.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyBackground radiation exists. The best estimate is that there are 364,000 workers occupationally exposed to ionising radiations above normal background levels.
About 135,000 people have their radiation exposure monitored either voluntarily or by law.
§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Paymaster General whether he will now take steps to reduce the maximum permissible dose of radiation a worker is allowed to be given from 5 rems to 0.5 rems a year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyNo. The Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 were subjected to long and wide-ranging consultation by the Health and Safety Commission.