HL Deb 18 July 1986 vol 478 cc1166-8WA
Lord Morris

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will make a statement about the latest results of testing undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on foodstuffs other than sheepmeat following the accident at Chernobyl.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)

In addition to monitoring sheep and lambs from Cumbria, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has continued to test other foodstuffs which could have been affected by the Chernobyl accident. I am arranging for a copy of the data available since such information was last published on 20th June to be placed in the Library of the House.

The data show that radio-iodine is no longer of radiological significance, and amounts of radiocaesium, which takes rather longer to decay, are continuing to fall steadily in all food products, including sheep, The special measures we have taken in Cumbria will ensure that all sheep being marketed are within internationally acceptable levels.

We can therefore report on the basis of current and previous monitoring results that the position on foodstuffs produced in this country for home consumption and export is entirely satisfactory.