asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) to what extent the fish catch in the area of the Irish Sea in the vicinity of the discharge of radioactive waste from the Windscale nuclear plant is sold for public consumption; and what means are available to the consumer to identify fish with a high radioactive content;(2) to what extent the level of radiation in fish caught in the Irish Sea has increased since the establishment of the Windscale nuclear plant at Cumbria; and if he will make a statement.

Fish in the Irish Sea have always contained some natural radioactivity. Since the establishment of Windscale they have also shown traces of artificial radioactivity. Fishing near Windscale is on a very small scale. The Ministry monitors the radioactive content of the fish taken, and the published reports show that concentrations are only a small fraction of the internationally approved levels for acceptable exposure of the public. None of the fish taken has a high radioactive content.