Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken by the civil planning unit of his Department to issue guidance of radiological safety and protection measures against Cosmos 1900 or other malfunctioning nuclear powered satellites that could crash land on United Kingdom territory having lost control of their orbit.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggGuidance on procedures to be followed by the emergency services in relation to a nuclear-powered satellite accident are set out in chapter 25, annex C, of the "Emergency Planning Guidance to Local Authorities", a copy of which is in the Library. This was supplemented, for Cosmos 1900, by detailed advice on operational points and communications for use if the United Kingdom were to be affected by radioactive debris. As the nuclear reactor was ejected from Cosmos 1900, there was no call for specific advice on radiological protection, although precautionary guidance was given through the media about avoiding contact with any debris and alerting the emergency services. Guidance for any future incident would depend on the composition and state of the reactor, the effectiveness of automatic safety systems, and the extent of any threat posed to the United Kingdom.