§ 5. Mr. Dribergasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether the deaths from leukaemia or the similar disabilities of Service men or ex-Service men who served on Christmas Island at the time of the nuclear tests in 1957 have been accepted by her Department as attributable to military service; and how many pensions have been awarded in such cases.
§ Miss HerbisonOne death has been so accepted, but for reasons unconnected with the tests. A war widow's pension has been awarded.
§ Mr. DribergIs my right hon. Friend always aware of these cases? If a man has left the Service for some years, having come out of the Service apparently healthy and, therefore, not having applied for a war disability pension, and if he dies later from leukaemia, is any check kept on cases of that kind?
§ Miss HerbisonSo far, three claims have been made to the Ministry by those who were in the vicinity of Christmas Island. Two of those claims have had to be rejected because there was no evidence to support the claims or to show any connection between service and the disease. Every effort is made to try to obtain the necessary information.