§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his current assessment of the effects on British service men present in the vicinity of the second United Kingdom nuclear test at Christmas Island in 1958 of their exposure to radiation;
(2) what is his current assessment of the effects on ex-service men present in the vicinity of the first United Kingdom nuclear test at Christmas Island in 1958 of their exposure to radiation.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will now estimate the number of premature deaths of ex-service men who took part in the Christmas Island tests between 1952 and 1958, including the clean up operations up to 1964.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonI refer the hon. Member to the National Radiological Protection Board report NRPBR214, "Mortality and Cancer Incidence in UK Participants in UK Atmospheric Nuclear Weapon Tests and Experimental Programmes" published in 1988. In their report, the NRBP did not establish a causal link between any increased incidence of cancer and participation in the test programme.
The NRPB are now carrying out an analysis of data received up until 1 January 1988 and their further report will be available in 1992.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will now reconsider the benefit and compensation claims of nuclear test veterans who took part in the British nuclear test programme from 1952 until 1958, including the clean-up programme up to 1964; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Government's policy is based on the National Radiological Protection Board's (NRPB) report published in 1988, which found no casual link between participation in the test programme and any increased incidence of cancer. A further follow-up study by the NRPB has been commissioned and it will be necessary to await the conclusions of this before considering what changes, if any, might be appropriate to the Government's current policy.