HC Deb 27 July 1989 vol 157 cc899-901W
Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the 12th Independent Field Squadron are now deceased; and what information he has as to the causes of death.

Mr. Alan Clark

This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a similar question on 22 December 1988 at column376.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Fijian forces have been studied by the National Radiological Protection Board; and if he has received representations from the Fijian Government about the health and welfare of their nuclear test veterans.

Mr. Alan Clark

Fijian forces were not included in the study carried out by the NRPB and ICRF. I am not aware of any representations from the Fijian Government about the health and welfare of their nuclear test veterans.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will release details of unit/service mortality amongst British nuclear test veterans and the causes of this mortality.

Mr. Alan Clark

The information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost and, depending on the level of detail, could in any case be subject to the Data Protection Act.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conclusions he draws with regard to his policy towards the compensation of British nuclear test veterans from the report of Dr. Karl Morgan of the health physics division of Oak Ridge national laboratory in Tennessee, dealing with the consequences of United States veterans' exposure during nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s.

Mr. Alan Clark

Government policy on this matter is based on the conclusions reached in the National Radiological Protection Board report released last year, which concluded that no harm due to ionising radiation was suffered by participants in the United Kingdom nuclear test programme. However, the Government would be ready to pay compensation to those participants who suffer ill health from a disease if it could be shown, even on a balance of probabilities, that the incidence of that disease was linked to participation in the United Kingdom nuclear test programme. Individual reports, such as that to which the hon. Member refers, will not change Government policy unless they influence the NRPB conclusions; that is a matter for the NRPB who are the independent experts on these matters. I also refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 23 May 1989, at column464.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have taken place into beta dose erythema conditions amongst British nuclear test veterans.

Mr. Alan Clark

No studies of beta dose erythema have been carried out on British nuclear test veterans.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the function of the RAF balloon unit during British nuclear tests in the 1950s; to what proximity members of the unit approached ground zero; and with what frequency.

Mr. Clark

The function of the balloon unit was to operate a balloon system for hoisting devices under test to the prescribed altitude ready for detonation. Members of the balloon unit were withdrawn to a safe distance of not less than 12.5 km from ground zero at the time of detonation. After detonation balloon unit personnel returned to ground zero only when the induced radiation had fallen to such levels that the exposures were not sensibly greater than zero.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which military unit or squadron spent the most time in active service in the Christmas islands, during British nuclear tests there(a) cumulatively and (b) consecutively.

Mr. Clark

HMS Resolution remained in active service in the Christmas islands during the British nuclear tests from December 1957 until June 1964. 73 E and M Squadron RE remained in service from December 1957 to January 1964 and the RAF Unit Christmas Island was present from October 1957 until June 1964.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who undertook the descaling of desalination tanks on Christmas Island, during British nuclear tests there in the 1950s; where these samples were taken for examination; and if the results of these examinations are publicly available.

Mr. Clark

The storage of drinking water at Christmas Island was the responsibility of the Army. The checking of the quality of fresh and raw water from ground sources and shore distillers prior to and in storage was the responsibility of the RAF medical service. There was no reason to descale the desalination tanks since they were only for the storage of clean potable water. The RAF medical service reports, under normal rules, would have been destroyed after two years.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why an operation/biopsy took place on Mr. Andrew Dickson of Wakefield during his active service on Christmas Island; what was the purpose of this operation; and why it took place on the island rather than via referral to Honolulu.

Mr. Alan Clark

It is not the policy of this Department to discuss the detail of individual medical cases, which are covered by the rules concerning medical confidentiality. This policy accords with that of the NHS.