§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what studies have been undertaken of the incidence of leukaemia in the children of people working for the Atomic Energy Authority;
673W(2) what studies have been made of the incidence of leukaemia in the children of people working in nuclear power stations.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI am advised that no studies have yet been undertaken specifically to examine the incidence of leukaemia in the offspring of people working at nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom or at Atomic Energy Authority sites. However, in February of this year, a report from the Medical Research Fund epidemiology unit at Southampton (Professor Gardner et al) was published in theBritish Medical Journal. This study documented a statistical association of leukaemia and non-Hodgkins lymphoma in children living near the Sellafield reprocessing plant and the employment of their fathers at the plant.
In view of the importance of this complex matter, the Government referred Professor Gardner's study to the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) for its urgent consideration and preliminary advice. On 2 April my hon. Friend, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, announced to Parliament that the Government had received COMARE's preliminary advice and accepted all its recommendations. The relevant Government Department's bodies have set up arrangements to enable them to take this work forward as speedily as possible.
In its advice, COMARE recommended that high priority be given to a study which it had recommended at an earlier stage to consider any possible health effects on the offspring of parents occupationally exposed to
£ million 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 Emergency Aid 0.244 1.056 0.070 0.436 1.541 Project Aid 3.298 2.713 5.604 3.651 5.421 Programme Aid 0.206 0.005 0.016 17.126 12.626 Technical Assistance 2.867 2.784 3.510 6.392 6.766 Other 2.556 2.018 2.979 1.374 2.046 Total 9.171 8.576 12.179 28.979 28.400