§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by date of change of status the various areas and locations of those parts of Northern Ireland which came under Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) Orders as a result of the Chernobyl incident; what were the highest levels of contamination measured in each of those areas in(a) vegetation, (b) peat and (c) mineral oils; what are the levels in each area now; when he expects, at the present rate of decline of radioactivity in each area, to be able to lift the remaining restrictions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AncramThe change of status of those parts of Northern Ireland subjected to restrictions as a result of the Chernobyl incident is as follows:
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the radioactive substances found in(a) peat, (b) mineral soils and (c) vegetation in Northern Ireland as a result of the Chernobyl incident; for what period of time the various plants found in hill forage retained such substances with particular reference to heather; and what has been the uptake of such substances by deer in the affected areas.
§ Mr. AncramThe radioactive substances found in peat, mineral soils and vegetation in Northern Ireland as a result of the Chernobyl incident are isotopes of caesium—caesium-137 and caesium-134. Hill forage, including heather, in the restricted areas in Northern Ireland still contains these substances. The uptake of these isotopes measured in deer in the affected areas has been very low.
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