HC Deb 15 January 1990 vol 165 cc91-4W
Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been made of the amount of radiation recorded in Britain arising from the Chernobyl incident; and what assessment has been made of the implications of the amount of radiation recorded for the future incidence of radiation-induced congenital abnormalities and incidence of radiation-induced cancers over the next 30 years.

Mr. Freeman

[holding answer 9 January 19901]There have been many studies of the occurrence and behaviour in Britain of radionuclides from the Chernobyl reactor accident.

Early measurements of dose rates, radionuclide concentrations in air, deposition, environmental materials and foods were collated by the National Radiological Protection Board. More detailed studies of the deposition on grass and soil have been carried out, and aerial surveys have been conducted in some areas. Extensive monitoring of radionuclides in foods has been carried out in England and Wales and in Scotland, and of radionuclides in surface and coastal waters of the British Isles. Studies of the levels in people have also been made. Numerous other studies have also been reported in the scientific literature.

The radiological impact of the Chernobyl accident has been assessed by OECD for many European countries. Estimates have been made of both the maximum levels of individual exposure and the typical levels of individual exposure for the United Kingdom together with the collective exposure of the entire United Kingdom population. Using the most recent risk estimates the theoretical number of fatal cancers arising in the United Kingdom from Chernobyl is estimated to be about 100 and the corresponding number of non-fatal cancers as 60. The majority of these would be expected to occur within 30 years. These figures can be compared with the annual mortality from cancer in the United Kingdom of around 100,000 to 150,000. The number of heriditary effects arising in the United Kingdom population over all time from the Chernobyl accident is estimated to be a few tens.

A list of major relevant publications is shown in the table:

References

  1. 1. Levels of radioactivity in the United Kingdom from the accident at Chernobyl USSR on 26 April 1986. A compilation of results of environmental measurements in the United Kingdom. July 1986, HMSO.
  2. 2. Horrill A. D. et al. Chernobyl fallout in Great Britain. DOE Report No: DOE/RW/88.101, 1988.
  3. 3. Miller G. R. et al. Radioactivity in Scottish soils and grassy vegetation. SDD/NERC project T07006 el, 1989.
  4. 4. Sanderson D. C. W. et al. A feasibility study of airborne radiometric survey from United Kingdom fallout. SURRC report 88–03, 1988.
  5. 5. Sanderson D. C. W. and Scott E. M. Aerial radiometric survey in west Cumbria, 1988. Final report: project NE1, 1989.
  6. 6. Radionuclide levels in food, animals and agricultural products (post-Chernobyl monitoring in England and Wales). Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food/ Welsh Office. HMSO, 1987.
  7. 7. Radionuclide levels in food, animals and agricultural products 1987 (post-Chernobyl monitoring in England and Wales). Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food/Welsh Office. HMSO, 1988.
  8. 8. Scottish Development Department. Statistical Bulletin Number 1(E) 1988. Chernobyl accident, monitoring for radioactivity in Scotland, April 1988.
  9. 9. Scottish Development Department. Statistical Bulletin Number 2(E). Environmental monitoring for radioactivity in Scotland, 1983 to 1987, July 1989.
  10. 10. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Directorate of Fisheries Research. Aquatic environment monitoring report No. 15: radioactivity in surface and coastal waters of the British Isles. Monitoring of fallout from the Chernobyl reactor accident. 1986.
  11. 11. Fry F. A. and Britcher A. Doses from Chernobyl radiocaesium. The Lancet, July 19, 1987.
  12. 12. Bailey, M. R. et al. Measurements of the body content of radioactive caesium in residents of Yorkshire. NRPB-R213, 1987.
  13. 13. Fry, F. A. et al. Radiocaesium in a group of adults resident in Oxfordshire and Berkshire. Radiation Protection—Theory and Practice. 4th SRP Int. Symp. 1989.
  14. 14. East, B. W. and Robertson I. Measurement of radioactivity from Chernobyl in population groups in Scotland. DoE report No. DOE/RW/88, 103, 1988.
  15. 15. Boddy, K. et al. Study of measurements made on a whole-body radioactivity counter installed in the West Cumberland hospital. DoE report No. DOE/RW/89, 045, 1989.
  16. 16. Boddy, K. et al. Monitoring of the general population with a mobile whole-body monitor and installed counters. DoE report No. DOE/RW/89, 064, 1989.
  17. 17. OECD/NEA. The radiological impact of the Chernobyl accident in OECD countries. Paris, OECD, 1987.
  18. 18. Morrey, M. et al. A preliminary assessment of the radiological impact of the Chernobyl reactor accident on the population of the European Community. Luxembourg, CEC. Report No. EUR11523, 1987.
  19. 19. Simmonds, J. R. Europe calculates the health risk. New Scientist, 23 April 1987.
  20. 20. UNSCEAR. Sources, effects and risks of ionising radiation. 1988 report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation to the General Assembly, with annexes New York, United Nations, 1988.
  21. 21. Clarke, R. H. Current radiation risk estimates and implications for the health consequences of the Windscale, TMI and Chernobyl accidents. IN Medical response to effects of ionising radiation (Gittus, J. and Crosbie, W. A., eds.). Elsevier, p. 102, 1989.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health who holds stocks of iodine tablets; and how many tablets are in stock per head of population and per head of population under the age of 18 years.

Mr. Freeman

[holding answer 9 January 1990]Stocks of potassium iodate tablets are held at all CEGB nuclear installations and at some nearby sites, chiefly police stations and hospitals. These are specifically for issue to staff and people living in the vicinity of a nuclear installation should an accident occur in which radioactive iodine is released.

These supplies are in excess of those needed for a reference accident and supplies would be ample for an extended distribution if needed in the event of a more severe accident. In addition stocks held elsewhere could be made available within hours depending on the location of the accident.