HL Deb 02 February 1983 vol 438 cc805-8

2.58 p.m.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

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 whether they are aware that the Answer given on 25th October 1982 (col. 390) by the Minister of State for Defence Procurement, Viscount Trenchard, on the subject of H-Bomb tests at Christmas Island was inaccurate and whether they will now conduct an inquiry into the increasing evidence that many British service personnel have suffered injury and premature death as the result of their presence at nuclear weapon tests.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Belstead)

My Lords, the Answer given on 25th October 1982 was accurate. It remains true that only a few claims have been made to the Ministry of Defence alleging that servicemen who participated in British H-Bomb tests at Christmas Island have suffered from ill effects. In view of the publicly expressed concerns, it has been decided to conduct a health survey of all relevant British personnel. This was announced on 12th January 1983. However, it is still considered that no one who participated in any of the British atmospheric nuclear tests was exposed to significant health risks.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that Answer, but is it not the case that, within a short time of this negative Answer being given, the Government changed their mind and decided that they would after all look into the matter and have a survey? Is it not therefore the case—I am not suggesting any personal turpitude so far as the noble Viscount, Lord Trenchard, is concerned—that perhaps he was not adequately briefed on that occasion?

Lord Belstead

No, my Lords, the Answer which my noble friend Lord Trenchard gave on 25th October last year was, as my original Answer said, accurate. Regarding the decision to undertake a health survey, it is tragically the case that about one in five of the male population of the United Kingdom at the present time dies of cancer, so there will be some thousands of people who, understandably, will be able to question whether there is a link between the disease and the tests. The problem is to determine whether or not the incidence of cancer among test veterans is significantly different from the incidence of the disease among those who did not participate in the tests. The announced health survey will be designed to solve this problem. But I must repeat that the measured radiation exposures of personnel in the tests clearly indicate that no significant health risks were run.

The Earl of Lauderdale

My Lords, would my noble friend agree that the Government's response in setting an investigation forward is typical of the sensitivity of democratic Governments, unlike that expected in totalitarian countries?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for that question.

Lord Shinwell

My Lords, if he has not already done so, will the noble Lord clarify one item in the Question? Have there been any premature deaths of service personnel? Will he answer that question?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, the answer to that, so far as we know, is, No, and by that I mean No in the sense that there are no deaths which can be connected with the tests. As to whether personnel who took part in the tests have died prematurely, there were some 15,000 personnel and nobody could possibly answer that question.

Lord Bishopston

My Lords, is not the Minister rather prejudging the survey's findings in his reply? Will he not accept that the fact that the Government are setting up a survey, which I am sure we all commend, is a recognition not only of the public's concern but of the Government's concern on this matter? Will he recognise also that the tests which took place on Christmas Island in 1950 indicate in the time of the H-Bomb that there is a much greater incidence of danger now with nuclear weapons? Will the Government take those aspects into account in respect of civil defence, and also make the findings public in due course?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, I assure the noble Lord, Lord Bishopston, that in no way would the Government be wishing to prejudge the outcome of a survey which they have been very ready to undertake. In order that both Houses of Parliament, and indeed the general public, will be able to make up their minds, I can certainly respond to the noble Lord's other question and say that the results of the survey will be published.

Lord Brockway

My Lords, may I ask the Minister whether, in order to save injuries and premature deaths, the Government are now prepared to support the abolition of all nuclear weapon tests, including those underground, which are now under discussion?

Lord Belstead

No, my Lords.

Viscount Trenchard

My Lords, would my noble friend agree that the Ministry of Defence looked with great care into the Question which the noble Lord, Lord Jenkins, raised, at the time when he raised it, and that even the then Minister of State looked into the details? Would he also agree that it is at the moment at the very least premature to give any inference that there is any connection between the complaints, based upon the incidence of cancer in a few of those who took part in the tests, and the tests themselves?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, I most certainly confirm that my noble friend, when he replied to this Question on 25th October, looked into this matter with very great care. I repeat that, so far as we can see, the tests were conducted safely and there are adequate data for the survey which are available from existing records. But, of course, there would have to be reconsideration if wholly unexpected results came up.

Lord Kennet

My Lords, would the Minister of State agree that almost all those who are informed and concerned about this matter believe that the Government are to be congratulated on so quickly announcing a full inquiry, and that the formulations of the Minister of State in describing its terms of reference and the plans for publication of its findings are warmly to be commended?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that question.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that, in view of the successful claims prosecuted by Australian and American service personnel, the Government have very little alternative but to institute a survey, and will he say when the report is to be expected?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, the conclusions which the noble Lord draws from cases of which I am not aware seem wholly unjustified, if I can draw a logical conclusion from those two parts of my reply.

Lord Jenkins of Putney

My Lords, will the noble Lord answer the second part of my question? When is the report expected?

Lord Belstead

My Lords, the inquiry will be conducted as swiftly as possible.