§ 14. Mr. Allen MacKayTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has as to whether sheep with radioactivity levels above the level of 1,000 bq/kg entered the food chain from north Yorkshire following the Chernobyl accident; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerI am satisfied from the monitoring that we have done both in 1986 and more recently that it is extremely unlikely that any sheep showing radioactivity above 1,000 bq/kg has entered the food chain.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many(a) ewes and (b) lambs in the restricted area of Cumbria, were monitored and released unmarked each month since the apricot marking scheme was introduced;
(2) how many (a) ewes and (b) lambs in the restricted area of Cumbria, were marked apricot and released for each month since the initiation of the new scheme;
(3) how many (a) ewes and (b) lambs in the restricted area of Cumbria, were green-sprayed in each month since the introduction of the new scheme in the current year;
(4) how many monitored lambs were blue-painted and released during each calendar month in the restricted area of Cumbria from 18 August 1986;
(5) how many non-monitored lambs were blue-painted and released during each calendar month in the restricted area of Cumbria from 18 August 1986;
(6) how many non-monitored sheep, in the restricted area of Cumbria other than lambs, were blue-painted and released for (a) further fattening and (b) breeding, broken down into categories of ewe, shearling and tup;
735W(7) how many monitored sheep, in the restricted area of Cumbria, other than lambs, were blue-painted and released for (a) further fattening and (b) breeding, broken down into categories of ewe, shearing and tup;
(8) how many non-monitored gimmer lambs in the restricted area of Cumbria were red-painted for away wintering to return for breeding;
(9) how many monitored gimmer lambs in the restricted area of Cumbria were red-painted for away wintering to return for breeding;
(10) how many non-monitored sheep, in the restricted area of Cumbria, other than gimmers, were red-painted and released for (a) fattening or (b) breeding, broken down into categories of ewe, shearling or tup;
(11) how many monitored sheep, in the restricted area of Cumbria, other than gimmers, were red-painted and released for (a) fattening or (b) breeding, broken down into categories of ewe, shearling or tup;
(12) how many sheep were monitored for radioactivity under the mark and release scheme in England in each month since 1 September 1986;
(13) how many sheep were monitored for radioactivity and sprayed green in England in each month since 1 September 1986;
(14) how many sheep were monitored for radioactivity and not marked and thus released in England in each month since 1 September 1986;
(15) how many red an blue-marked sheep were released for slaughter into the food chain in England during each week of January, February and March;
(16) how many apricot-marked sheep were released for slaughter into the food chain each month after 25 May in England.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe information sought is not always available in the manner requested. Relevant information in my Department's possession is set out in the table.
(a) Ewes and lambs monitored and released unmarked from Cumbria restricted area since apricot marking scheme introduced on 22 December 1986:
Month Ewes Lambs Total Part December 1986 — — 633 January 1987 — — 2,363 February — — 1,505 March — — 2,598 April — — 1,186 May 2,598 67 2,665 June 2,689 500 3,189 July 160 653 813 August 926 1,693 2,619 September 2,142 9,689 11,831 October 6,881 16,097 22,978 November 3,498 12,607 16,105 Part December 158 506 664 Notes:
(i) Early records do not differentiate between ewes and lambs.
(ii) A further 4,315 lambs-at-foot were moved off without monitoring because mother ewes found to be below Government action level.
(b) Ewes and lambs marked apricot and released from Cumbria restricted area after apricot marking began on 22 December 1986:
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Month Ewes Lambs Part December 1986 — — January 1987 — — February — —
Month Ewes Lambs March — — April — — May — — June 20 8 July1 — — 1 Apricot marking ended on 26 July 1987. (c) Ewes and lambs marked green on leaving Cumbria restricted area after green marking began on 27 July 1987:
Month Ewes Lambs Part July 1987 — — August 1987 66 110 September 19871 34 485 1 Green marking ended on 27 September 1987. (d) Monitored lambs marked blue and released from Cumbria restricted area from 18 August 1986:
Month Lambs Part August 1986 — September 1986 1267 October 1986 11,352 November 1986 1356 December 1986 1144 Part September 1987 — October 1987 195 November 1987 50 Part December 1987 1 1 Figures will also include ewes since early records do not differentiate between ewes and lambs. Note: Blue marking ceased on 21 December 1986 and re-commenced on 28 September 1987.
(e) Non-monitored lambs marked blue and released from Cumbria restricted area from 18 August 1986:
Month Lambs Part August 1986 — September 1986 1968 October 1986 12,421 November 1986 1396 December 1986 — Part September 1987 — October 1987 — November 1987 — Part December 1987 — 1 Figures will also include ewes since early records do not differentiate between ewes and lambs. Note: Blue marking ceased on 21 December 1986 and re-commenced on 28 September 1987.
(f) Non-monitored sheep, other than lambs, blue painted and released for (i) further fattening and (ii) breeding broken down into categories of ewe, shearling and tup.
Information not available in form requested.
(g) Monitored sheep, other than lambs, blue painted and released for (i) further fattening and (ii) breeding broken down into categories of ewe, shearling and tup.
Information not available in form requested.
(h) Non-monitored breeding sheep from Cumbria restricted area red painted.
Sheep 1986 9,773 11987 7,253 1 To date. Notes:
(i) Records do not indentify gimmers separately.
(ii) Red marked sheep may go for away wintering and return or be sold for breeding.
(i) Monitored gimmer lambs from Cumbria restricted area red painted for away wintering to return for breeding.
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Lambs 1986 12,240 1987 1697 1 Figures will also include some ewes since early records do not differentiate between ewes and lambs. Note: Records do not differentiate between those wintering and those sold.
(j) Non monitored sheep, other than gimmers, red painted and released for (i) fattening and (ii) breeding broken down into categories of ewe, shearling and tup.
Information not available in form requested.
(k) Monitored sheep, other than gimmers, red painted and released for (i) fattening and (ii) breeding broken down into categories of ewe, shearling and tup.
Information not available in form requested.
(l) Sheep monitored for radioactivity on leaving Cumbria restricted area under mark and release scheme since 1 September 1986 Sheep September 1986 5,157 October 1986 14,931 November 1986 11,543 December 1986 2,303 January 1987 2,388 February 1987 1,505 March 1987 2,599 April 1987 1,186 May 1987 2,670 June 1987 3,244 July 1987 795 August 1987 2,745 September 1987 12,741 October 1987 24,767 November 1987 16,445 December 1987 (part) 670 Note: Figures include some sheep monitored but retained on farm.
(m) Sheep monitored for radioactivity and marked green on leaving Cumbria restricted area since 1 September 1986 Sheep September 1986 — July 1987 — August 1987 176 September 1987 519 Note: Green marking ceased on 30 September 1986 and was re-introduced between 27 July and 27 September 1987.
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(n) Sheep monitored for radioactivity and released un-marked from Cumbria restricted area after 1 September 1986 Sheep September 1986 4,846 October 1986 11,010 November 1986 10,420 December 1986 2,100 January 1987 2,368 February 1987 1,505 March 1987 2,598 April 1987 1,186 May 1987 12,665 June 1987 23,189 July 1987 795 August 1987 2,565 September 1987 11,831 October 1987 22,978 November 1987 16,105 December 1987 664 1 Plus 2,463 lambs at foot—not monitored. 2 Plus 1,852 lambs at foot—not monitored.
(o) Red and Blue marked sheep released for slaughter into food chain in England during January, February and March 1987: Animals re-monitored and identified as eligible for slaughter by Ministry ear-tag Week beginning Red Blue 1 January (part week) — 418 5 January week) — 3,762 12 January — 1,455 19 January — 1,974 26 January — 2,105 2 February — 1,276 9 February — 1,072 16 February — 716 23 February — 99 2 March — 11 9 March 3 — 16 March — — 23 March — — 30 March (part week) — — 1 All remaining blue marked sheep released from slaughter restrict ions on 27 February 1987.—is not possible to say how many of these will have been in England. (p) Apricot marked sheep released for slaughter into food chain in England from 25 May 1987.
No apricot-marked sheep were re-monitored and identified as eligible for slaughter by Ministry ear-tag in England but all apricot marked sheep were released from slaughter restrictions on 28 September 1987. It is not possible to say how many of these will have been in England.
Note: Some of the dates given in the above tables are those when the information was recorded centrally and may not accord exactly with the date when the animals were monitored or moved.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many sheep were monitored for radioactivity in each month in England since 1 September 1986 for experimental purposes.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThere is a flock of some 100 sheep in Cumbria which we have monitored continuously for experimental purposes to detect any month by month variations in levels of radiocaesium. In addition, under contract to us, both the National Radiological Protection Board and the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology have carried out similar activity on several other smaller groups of sheep.