§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether environmental health officers throughout Staffordshire have been advised to look out for radioactive sheep from Cumbria and north Wales in the 1988 lambing season.
§ Mr. Donald Thompson[holding answer 25 April 1988]: In line with arrangements agreed with district and county councils, my officials have kept the chief emergency planning officer of Staffordshire county council fully informed about the introduction and development of the scheme under which sheep may be moved out of the restricted areas of Cumbria and north Wales. This includes 118W details of the arrangements for this season's lambs. It is for the authority itself to ensure that the information reaches all the appropriate council officials within the county.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to introduce the sample monitoring for radioactivity of sheep which have been moved from Cumbria and north Wales to Staffordshire for further fattening.
§ Mr. Donald Thompson[holding answer 25 April 1988]: Additional sample monitoring is unnecessary. Sheep moved out of the restricted areas of Cumbria and north Wales must either already have satisfied a monitoring test or been paint-marked to show that they may not yet be slaughtered. These marked sheep will be released for slaughter only when national re-monitoring data show that it is safe to remove the restriction on all sheep painted with the particular colour.