By Pam McClounie

Last updated at 13:50, Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Cumbrian MP Tim Farron will call for Sellafield’s compensation scheme for radiation-linked diseases to be extended to the wider population when he asks questions in Parliament.

The nuclear industry scheme to compensate workers or their dependents – for diseases which may be radiation-linked – was set up by BNFL and the unions at Sellafield in 1982.

Compensation is paid on a balance of possibilities (20 per cent and over) that a cancer may have been induced by occupational exposure to radiation.

A total of £6.2 million has so far been paid out.

Many of the cases were linked to Sellafield, but the scheme has now been widened to include all nuclear radiation workers.

Radiation Free Lakeland is calling for the existing compensation scheme to be extended to the wider population – within at least a 5km radius of Sellafield.

Mr Farron, who is the Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, will ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward proposals to extend the existing compensation scheme for radiation linked diseases.”

First published at 11:30, Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk