§ Mr. Barry Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what factors determined the timing of his decision relating to lamb movements announced on 20 June.
§ Mr. Jopling[pursuant to his reply, 26 June 1986]: The Ministry and the Welsh Office undertook a comprehensive programme of monitoring of foodstuffs following the accident at Chernobyl. High levels of radiocaesium were found in the middle of May only in young lambs not due to be coming onto the market until the autumn. However, results obtained last week showed that some lambs with 355W higher levels of radiocaesium were coming onto the market now. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I therefore took action on 20 June to prevent the marketing of animals in two areas in North Wales and Cumbria, respectively.