Written question asked by Gordon Prentice (Labour) on Thursday, 17 June 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 25 June 1999. It was answered by Lord Rooker (Labour) on Friday, 25 June 1999 on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Question: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps he is taking to ensure that sheep grazing on upland areas affected by radiocaesium contamination do not enter the food chain. - Includes figures and ref to Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.

Answer: Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that sheep grazing on upland areas affected by radiocaesium contamination do not enter the food chain. [87860] Mr. Rooker: Affected areas are subject to orders made under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 which restrict the sale, movement and slaughter of sheep. Sheep to be moved off restricted farms must be monitored, and if found to be over the action level of 1000 becquerels per kilogram (Bq/kg) of caesium, are marked as ineligible for slaughter. Marked sheep can be moved to clean grazing and released for slaughter three months later when the radiocaesium has decayed to safe levels. Random check monitoring of sheep carcases at slaughterhouses serving the restricted areas has confirmed that no animals over the action level are getting into the food chain. The highest radiocaesium level ever found in a carcase was 533 Bq/kg (in 1991).

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 87860; 333 c487-8W
Session: 1998-99
Subjects: Contamination Health hazards Disease control Monitoring Radioactivity Sheep
Contains statistics: Yes