§ Mr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the current levels of radioactivity in bq/kg or bq/1 for various foodstuffs that apply after a nuclear accident and the changes proposed to those levels in the European Community; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RyderIn the event of a nuclear emergency, the current limiting values for radioactivity in all foodstuffs placed on EC markets would be those laid down under Council regulation (EURATOM) 3954/87. This regulation was adopted on 22 December 1987. The levels so far annexed to that regulation are as follows (Bq/kg or Bq/1):
456W
Dairy Produce Other food-stuffs except minor foodstuffs Isotopes of strontium, notably Sr-90 125 750 Isotopes of iodine, notably I-131 500 2,000 Alpha-emitting isotopes of plutonium and trans-plutonium elements, notably Pu-239, Am-241 20 80 All other nuclides of half-life greater than 10 days, notably Cs-134, Cs-1387 1,000 1,250
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe information requested is as follows:
Minor foodstuffs listed in the annex to Commission regulation (EURATOM) 944/89 will be subject to maximum permitted levels 10 times those applicable to "other foodstuffs except minor foodstuffs". Separate levels will in due course be set for liquid foodstuffs, babyfood and animal feedingstuffs. No changes to the present levels are currently under discussion within the EC.