§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what action he is taking to prevent nuclear contamination to the area surrounding BNFL's reprocessing plant at Sellafield; [91596]
(2) what studies he has commissioned to determine the effect nuclear wastes from Sellafield have had on the public (a) generally and (b) in Coventry. [91597]
§ Mr. MealeRadioactive discharges must be authorised by the Environment Agency under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. When considering an application484W for authorisation, the Environment Agency must be satisfied that the possible radiation dose to those members of the public at greatest risk will not exceed levels prescribed by the Government. In addition, the operators must show that the exposure will be as low as reasonably achievable, taking into account economic and social factors.
Radioactive discharges and their effect on the environment are monitored by the nuclear industry under the terms of their disposal authorisations. The Environment Agency and MAFF monitor radioactivity in the environment and in foodstuffs. The Environment Agency conducts monitoring of drinking water, rain water and air quality on behalf of my Department, in addition to the monitoring it undertakes in support of its regulatory functions under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. The results of this monitoring are regularly published in "Radioactivity in the Environment" by the Environment Agency and in "Radioactivity in Food and the Environment" by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Also the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) publishes regular reviews "Radiation Exposure of the UK Population".
The latest edition of NRPB's "Radiation Exposure of the UK Population", published in 1993, estimated the average annual doses to the UK population from all sources of ionising radiation as 2,600 micro Sieverts. Of this 0.4 micro Sieverts was estimated to come from discharges of radioactive waste, the majority of which emanates from Sellafield. In a summary publication in 1996, "Living with Radiation", the average dose remained the same but the contribution from discharges had fallen to 0.2 micro Sieverts.
I am not aware of any reason why the effect on the public in Coventry should be different from the effect on the public generally.