§ Mr. Hancockasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what monitoring takes place of radioactive charges in the Channel.
§ Mr. Gummer[pursuant to his reply, 9 June 1986, c. 81]: Monitoring of radioactive discharges into the Channel from United Kingdom nuclear sites is carried out by the site operators in accordance with the discharge authorisations granted under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for the Environment. Duplicate samples are supplied to Her Majesty's Radiochemical Inspectorate and are sent for independent analysis, the results being used by the inspectorate to check the operators' liquid effluent discharge records. Site operators are also required, as a condition of their discharge authorisation, to carry out regular environmental monitoring.
337WAn independent programme of monitoring of the effects of radioactive discharges on the marine environment around United Kingdom nuclear sites is carried out by my Ministry to verify the satisfactory control of liquid radioactive waste discharges and to ensure that the resulting public radiation exposure is within nationally accepted limits.
This programme involves the sampling and analysis of fish and other environmental materials at various points along the south coast to assess the effects of discharges from establishments at Devonport, Winfrith and Dungeness. Samples taken in the Channel Islands also enable us to assess the effects of discharges from Cap de la Hague. The results of this monitoring are published and copies of the latest report are available in the Libraries of both Houses.