Has there been monitoring of the nuclear power station and reprocessing facilities at Cap de la Hague through any device situated in the Bailiwick of Jersey and, location of such devices what did they monitor, how they are operated, who manages the data

2.4   Deputy P.V.F. Le Claire of the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding the monitoring of the nuclear power station and reprocessing facilities at Cap de la Hague:

I did not thank the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture. I would like to do that first. I thank the Minister. I would like to ask the Minister for Health and Social Services this question, if I may; In the last 3 years has there been any monitoring at all of the nuclear power station and reprocessing facilities at Cap de la Hague through any device situated in the Bailiwick of Jersey and, if so, where were such devices located, what did they monitor, how were they operated, who manages the data and does any monitoring continue at present?

Deputy A.E. Pryke of Trinity (The Minister for Health and Social Services):

I thank the Deputy for his question, because he always has a keen interest in this area. The range of activity in the environment is monitored in a number of ways. A detection system which forms part of the R.I.M.N.E.T. (Radioactive Incident Monitoring Network) has been installed at Jersey Airport by the U.K. Environment Department. R.I.M.N.E.T. measures and analyses background radiation levels around the clock. It will provide a warning in the event that levels of radioactivity breach the norm. R.I.M.N.E.T. date is stored in the U.K. National Nuclear Database. In addition (as previously outlined in my answer to written question 6426), the Health and Social Services Department's Public Health Team does routine regular monitoring for radioactivity with assistance from the Environment Department. This relates to the concentration of radionuclides in seafood, seaweed, mud, algae and foodstuffs, such as potatoes. The data collected is published annually in the report produced by C.E.F.A.S. (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Agricultural Science) in the U.K. Jersey water is also regularly monitored for radioactivity by Jersey Water. This monitoring is regulated by the Environment Department. This monitoring is of radioactivity generally in the environment regardless of its potential source. It is not specific monitoring just related to La Hague.

Deputy P.V.F. Le Claire:

I would like to thank the Minister. Thank you, Sir.

1. The Deputy of St. John :

The C.E.F.A.S. reports that the Minister refers to, is it circulated to Members on Island, because I do not recall having received one ever?

The Deputy of Trinity :

It can be, but it is from the U.K. If you wish for a copy, I can perhaps provide the weblink.

2. Deputy P.V.F. Le Claire:

May I ask a supplementary? I just remembered, I did circulate a copy of a report to the Minister and all States Members in relation to some recent incidents outlined in a scientific paper provided for a French Ministry. I wondered if the Minister was able to let us know whether or not she has had sight of that report yet and what her thoughts about it are, because I have yet to receive a reply.

The Deputy of Trinity :

It is important to note that the 2001 report did raise concerns about accidents at La Hague. But the 2009 C.E.F.A.S. report, Marine Radiology in the Channel Islands, concluded that discharges from local resources continue to be or a negligible radiological significance. The local sources included La Hague. That said, I have forwarded the report to the Medical Officer of Health and requested that she should comment on it.

Deputy P.V.F. Le Claire: I thank the Minister.