Publication Laka-library:
Fallout over Chernobyl (1988)
| Author | FOE |
| Date | 1988 |
| Classification | 2.34.8.30/11 (CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT - CONSEQUENCES EUROPE - GENERAL) |
| Front | 
|
From the publication:
Section 1: Introduction The accident at Chernobyl occurred at 1.23 AM on the 26th April 1986. Within a week, much of Europe had been covered by fallout from the resulting radioactive plume. Although not as severely affected as other European countries such as Italy, Greece or West Germany, the UK did not escape the radioactive fallout. Contrary to the initial claims of Government Ministers that we would not be affected, (Guardian 30.4.86), the cloud did eventually reach the UK, on May 2nd. In the days that followed, little information was made available by the Government other than a blanket reassurance that the fallout posed no risk to health and safety in the UK. Mr Baker, Secretary of State for the Environment, told the House of Commons on May 4th that the remnants of the fallout had reached Britain on May 2nd and that whilst there had been an increase in the "normal background levels of radiation… the levels found were nowhere near the levels at which there is any hazard to health". No figures were released at the time to support this statement, (The Times 7.5.86). The second fallout plume reached the UK on May 8th. In parliament on May 6th Mr Alfred Dubs (MP for Battersea) questioned Government statements about the risks from the Chernobyl fallout; "implicit in the Ministers statement is the belief that there is a threshold below which levels of radiation are safe. The idea of a threshold is really a myth". Mr Baker replied "I cannot agree. There are safety levels". Earlier Mr Baker had told the House that the Government acted in accordance with international recommendations published by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP).
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