HL Deb 14 February 1962 vol 237 cc464-5

2.30 p.m.

LORD FARINGDON

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why it has been found necessary to use Christmas Island as a nuclear testing ground rather than the Pacific areas already used by the Americans for these purposes.]

THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)

My Lords, for technical reasons, it was agreed between the United States Government and Her Majesty's Government that of all possible sites only Christmas Island would be really suitable for a new series of tests. The Marshall Islands group, in which the United States con ducted some of their earlier tests, is a United Nations Trusteeship Territory. President Kennedy has said that he is anxious to maintain the spirit as well as the letter of the Trusteeship Agreement. Christmas Island has only a small population and is remote from large centres of population.

LORD FARINGDON

My Lords, arising from that reply, I would ask the noble Viscount whether he would not agree that one's attitude towards this facility put at the disposal of the American Government must depend on one's view of the usefulness and also the dangers of this particular testing. There fore I would ask the noble Viscount whether he is aware that many people in this country—and well-informed people—are considerably disturbed and alarmed by the prospect that a territory under our control, and for which we are responsible, is going to be contaminated by these tests, and whether Her Majesty's Government will not reconsider the whole question.

VISCOUNT HAILSHAM

My Lords, as regards the first part of the supplementary question, I would point out that the noble Lord's Question related to the relative advantage between Christmas Island and some other territory. Therefore the first part of the supplementary question does not arise, since the noble Lord's question related to the desirability of the tests at all. As regards the second part of the noble Lord's supplementary question, the noble Lord will be aware that Christmas Island was used as a base for the United Kingdom megaton tests in 1957 and 1958. Precautions were successfully taken then to prevent radio active contamination, and the same will be done again.