HC Deb 23 June 1997 vol 296 cc387-8W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what notification she has received from the Atomic Energy Authority management at Dounreay in respect of their plans to clean up radioactive particles from the beaches close to the plant; and if she will consult the National Radiological Project Board on its recent radiological assessment of beaches near to Dounreay. [3819]

Mr. Battle

The UKAEA has kept my Department fully informed of their plans for dealing with the Dounreay beach particles. The UKAEA is conducting an extensive search to find the source of these particles. Meanwhile it continues to monitor local beaches removing any particles it finds.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), the independent environmental regulator, recently commissioned the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) to undertake a survey of the beach at Sandside Bay near Dounreay following discovery of a particle there by UKAEA during routine monitoring. No further particles were detected.