To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce precautions to reduce the harmful effects of radioactive sediment deposited on the shores of the British coastline.

Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food carry out an extensive programme of monitoring of the marine and coastal environment, including the collection of samples of sediment. The results, which are published annually, show that doses to members of the public resulting from the discharge of liquid radioactive waste are well within accepted limits. There is no need for any special precautions to be taken.