Chernobyl compensation for Welsh farmers nears 9m
28 April 1998
Chernobyl compensation for Welsh farmers nears £9m
By Brian Brady, Press Association
WELSH farmers have received almost £9 million in compensation for the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster over the past 12 years, the Government disclosed yesterday (27 April).
Junior Welsh Office minister Win Griffiths said in a Commons written reply that the sheep-farming industry in North Wales had suffered most from the radioactive fall-out from the accident.
He said: “The direct cost to Welsh farmers, measured in terms of disruption to their enterprises and for which compensation has been paid since 1986, is over £8.9 million.”
Almost one-eighth of the 4,100km2 of Welsh land determined as “restricted” immediately after the accident in 1986 remains in the same category some 12 years later.
Figures released by Mr Griffiths showed 530km2 were still restricted.
In a separate written reply, Mr Griffiths said there was a big fall in the incidence of TB among Welsh cattle last year.
Welsh Office statistics showed there were 62 confirmed outbreaks of bovine TB in 1997, compared to 102 in each of the previous two years.