HC Deb 30 October 1986 vol 103 cc253-4W
19. Mr. Evennett

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any arrangements have been introduced for the monitoring of radiation in soft fruits since the Chernobyl incident.

Mr. Gummer

Soft fruits have been included in this Department's intensive testing programme carried out since the Chernobyl incident. The results have been published regularly and are available in the Library of the House. These show levels of radioactivity to be very low and of no cause for concern.

28. Mr. Gerald Bowden

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what radiation detection equipment is held by his Department for the measurement of levels of radiation in a Chernobyl-type disaster.

Mr. Gummer

The Ministry's laboratories at Lowestoft and Weybridge are equipped to the highest international standards for radiological analysis. Most measurements made following the Chernobyl accident have employed high resolution solid state gamma spectrometry. Radiochemical separation followed by low-level alpha or beta counting is undertaken for radionuclides which are not gamma emitters.

The Ministry is undertaking monitoring of live animals and agricultural materials in field conditions using portable single channel scintillation rate meters supplied to Ministry specifications.

31. Mr. Neil Hamilton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he proposes to simplify the terms used for the measurement of radiation levels in food and livestock; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

No. My Department uses the international system of units (SI units) in common with other United Kingdom and international organisations. This system of units is unambiguously understood throughout the world and introduction of new units would create confusion. The amount of radioactivity present is measured in bequerels (Bq). One bequerel is equivalent to one radioactive disintegration per second. Concentrations of radioactivity in food and livestock are expressed in units of bequerels per kilogram (abbreviated to Bq/kg) in solids or bequerels per litre (abbreviated Bq/1) in liquids.