Mr. Willie W.Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the radiation levels recorded in Scotland as a consequence of the nuclear accident in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
§ Mr. AncramI would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes), on 8 May, at columns 217–19 and on 21 May, at columns 225–28, to the reply to the hon. Member for Gordon, (Mr. Bruce) on 9 May, at column 294 and to the hon. Member himself on 14 May at column 472.
These replies provided a broad range of information on the radiation levels in Scotland resulting from the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. In general levels have been raised above the normal background levels of radioactivity which are always present in the environment. With the exception of rainwater, where advice against continuous consumption of fresh rainwater was issued for the limited period from 5 May to 10 May, radioactivity levels in the environment and in food such as milk, milk products and vegetables have remained below the internationally recommended levels at which action would have been considered, and have now declined considerably. Monitoring will be continued as necessary and the results will be issued to the press.