§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has commissioned into the practicality of distributing iodine tablets as part of a national nuclear emergency plan. [71465]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Government has established detailed plans for responding to major incidents involving radiation. Cross-departmental contingency plans are in place and regular exercises test national and local responses to a radiation or nuclear incident. Careful consideration has been given to the practicalities of distributing potassium iodate tablets to the population and arrangements for distributing these tablets have been tested in recent exercises.