§ Mr. Frank Cookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that sufficient stocks of potassium iodide and potassium iodate tablets are available to the population through local chemist shops; and if he will issue guidance to all householders on the safe and effective measures to be taken to reduce exposure to radiation in general and radioiodines in particular in the event of future accidents involving release of radiation and exposure to the population.
§ Mr. WhitneyI am advised that there is no need for community pharmacies to stock iodine tablets so that they are available to the population in the event of a release of 417W radioiodine. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy in his reply to the hon. Member today explains the system by which iodine tablets will be administered in an emergency.
As for guidance to householders, I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's reply to him on 8 May at column 216.