§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes),Official Report, 23 January, column 407, he will set out the methods used to monitor the Holy Loch for radioactivity since 1960; on how many occasions annually such monitoring has been done; and where the results have been published.
§ Mr. NeubertThe Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food had carried out monitoring of radio-activity in environmental materials and gamma dose rates in air at. Holy Loch since 1961. The results have been published annually since 1975 in aquatic environment monitoring reports, which also explain the frequency and methods used. Copies of these reports are available in the Library of the House.
The Ministry of Defence has carried out its own monitoring of Holy Loch since 1965, which has comprised gamma dose rate measurements and analysis of sediment and biological samples. The frequency of monitoring has varied: at present, dose rate measurements are taken monthly and combined with quarterly sample analyses.
The results of the MOD's own monitoring are not published; they are, however, consistent with those produced by MAFF.