§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will arrange for further sample monitoring of radioactivity levels in sheep in Devon and Somerset.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonMy Department has undertaken an extensive monitoring programme—the results of which have been placed in the Library of the House—that gives complete reassurance as to the safety of all produce entering the food chain. Monitoring continues outside the restricted area where necessary, but I see no need to carry out sample monitoring of sheep in Devon or Somerset.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will arrange for further sample monitoring of radioactivity levels in sheep in non-restricted areas which had high levels of precipitation on 2 and 3 May 1986.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonLive monitoring of sheep is continuing wherever it is necessary, but the significance of rainfall data has been superseded by the results of surveys of actual deposition and of monitoring.
§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take, in the light of the research findings of Dr. Kenton Morgan, of the University of Bristol, on radiation contamination among sheep in Somerset and Devon following the Chernobyl disaster, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonI refer the hon. Member to the answers given today and on 1 December 1987 to the Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark), at column542. No further action is required and I understand that Dr. Morgan has now made it clear that his work implies no risk to the food chain and no long-term contamination.