§ Mr. Tony ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance there is on the protection of new dwellings from radon; and if he will make a statement. [98390]
§ Ms Beverley HughesBRE have today published a revised version of BR 211 "Radon: Guidance on Protective Measures for New Dwellings", which updates previously published guidance, details measures that must be incorporated in new buildings and defines the geographical areas where radon protection is necessary. The Approved Document to Part C of the Building Regulations 1991 refers to the BRE document as a source of advice on where radon protection may be needed and what new measures are appropriate.
In addition to Cornwall and Devon and parts of Somerset, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire—which were covered in previous guidance—the new guidance identifies new areas where radon protection will be needed. These are parts of the Yorkshire Dales; parts of Wales and the Welsh Border; South Oxfordshire; parts of the Midlands adjacent to the currently delineated areas in Derbyshire; Northamptonshire; parts of Gloucestershire, the Lake District and Northumberland. There are also a few scattered areas in south-east England where these measures need to be applied.
As well as the maps based on NRPB data, BR 211 contains a second set of maps based on the assessment of geological radon potential which has been prepared by the British Geological Survey. These maps show grid squares that are underlain, completely or in part, by geological units that potentially exceed the action level for either basic or full protection. The guidance explains how the two sets of maps should be used to determine the level of protection needed.
Copies of BR 211 have been placed in the Libraries of the House.