§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent reports he has received concerning radioactive discharges relating to Thames Water. [9847]
§ Angela EagleAll radioactive discharges in England and Wales must be authorised by the Environment Agency under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. Limits for discharges of radioactivity are set by the Environment Agency in accordance with national and international standards, and the potential cumulative effects of discharges are carefully considered. Levels of actual radioactive discharges reported to the Environment Agency are placed on the public registers.
The Environment Agency also monitors levels of radioactivity in the waters and sediments of the River Thames. The results of this monitoring programme demonstrate that levels of radioactivity in the River Thames are low and consistently below World Health Organisation guidelines for drinking water. MAFF undertakes a separate monitoring programme, which includes levels of radioactivity in certain fish, plants and sediments of the River Thames.
Both the Environment Agency and MAFF produce annual reports of their monitoring programmes. Although I received no such report recently, I understand that the next agency report is expected to be issued during the summer, and the next MAFF report, the title of which is "Radioactivity in Food and the Environment" at the end of September.
In addition, information on radioactive discharges from, and levels of radioactivity recorded at, various sites in the UK, including some on the River Thames, is included in the "Digest of Environmental Statistics" No. 19 1997, which was published on 11 July.
537WI am investigating what information is available on historic discharges into the River Thames from the principle sites involved, and I will write to the hon. Member.