§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Defence what use has been made of (a) cadets and (b) women in exercises involving radioactive contaminants.
Mr. tan StewartInformation is not held centrally on the degree of involvement of cadets or women in such exercises, and could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what information he has of any breaches of security during exercises involving radioactive contaminants;
(2) what information he has of any disciplinary action taken against armed service personnel following exercises involving radioactive contaminants.
§ Mr. Ian StewartSuch matters would normally be dealt with at unit or establishment level and would not be reported to the Ministry of Defence. Information on breaches of security and disciplinary action on such occasions is not therefore held centrally, and could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed service personnel have received medical check-ups after being involved in exercises involving radioactive contaminants since 1 January 1981.
Mr. [an StewartI have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) of 20 July at columns95–96.
599W
§ Mrs. Clwydasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will list all the chemicals in the radioactive material used by his Department in Operation Senator in 1981.
§ Mr. Ian Stewart[pursuant to his reply, 23 July 1987]: It is not our practice to comment in detail on specific exercises. Details of the radio-isotopes contained in live contaminant used in nuclear accident response exercises were given in my reply to the hon. Lady and the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) of 22 July.
§ Mrs. Clwydasked the Secretary of State for Defence, what quantity of radium 223 sulphate, diluted with barium sulphate and aluminium oxide, is typically used in military training exercises simulating nuclear accidents.
§ Mr. Ian Stewart[pursuant to his reply, 23 July 1987]: It is our policy to use only the smallest quantity of radioactive material, of the lowest level of radioactivity required to achieve relevant instrument readings and meet essential training objectives. The same precautions are taken as would be taken in the event of a real accident and are therefore inherently many times more rigorous than the training material itself warrants.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the source of the radium 223 used in training exercises.
§ Mr. Ian Stewart[pursuant to his reply, 23 July 1987]: The live contaminant used in nuclear accident response exercises is obtained from commercial sources, such as Amersham International.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence what information was given to police and other personnel active in Swynnerton, Staffordshire, as to the extent to which they were exposed to radioactive materials as a result of military exercises.
§ Mr. Ian Stewart[pursuant to his reply, 23 July 1987]: Officials of the police and other external authorities are given appropriate information before each exercise involving the use of radioactive materials. Access by both military and civilian personnel to contaminated areas during those phases of a nuclear accident response exercise involving the use of contaminated material is strictly controlled. Personnel involved are required to wear protective clothing appropriate to the levels of contamination to which they have access, and to undergo full monitoring and decontamination procedures on their exit from the area. The need for these safety procedures is fully explained to those involved.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the issuing of protective clothing to civilian police on duty in the vicinity of exercises involving radioactive contaminants.
§ Mr. Ian StewartI refer the hon. Member to the pursuant answer I have given today to the right hon. Member for Stoke on Trent, South (Mr. Ashley).
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his answer of 15 July, Official Report, columns 1129–1135, what method was used to spray radioactive contaminants during the tests referred to.
§ Mr. Ian Stewart[pursuant to his reply, 23 July 1987]: A variety of methods for laying liquid low-level radioactive contaminant has been used in nuclear accident exercises 600W including, typically, a hand-held, short range, directional dispenser. All methods are designed to ensure that the application of contaminant is restricted to a designated area with due regard being given to such external factors as weather and wind direction and strength.