§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the possible genetic effects on the children of veterans who served on Christmas Island during nuclear testing periods. [75831]
§ Mr. SpellarMy Department has not commissioned any research into the possible genetic effects on the children of nuclear test veterans who served on Christmas Island.
As far as I am aware, there is no scientific or medical evidence to show that health or other physical problems suffered by the children or grandchildren of nuclear test veterans can be attributed to participation in the UK's nuclear test programme 40 years ago.
In November 1997, the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) published the results of a major epidemiological study of the children of radiation workers. The study, entitled "Cancer in the Offspring of Radiation Workers— A Record Linkage Study" discounted the hypothesis (known as the Gardner Hypothesis) that fathers' exposure to radiation before conception is a cause of childhood leukaemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This study was peer reviewed and published in the British Medical Journal.
The other major study in this area involved about 30,000 children of those Japanese nationals irradiated as a result of the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan in World War II. This was published in 1990 and failed to detect any significant excess of mutations, untoward pregnancy outcomes, childhood mortality or excess cancer.
A report on the US Nuclear tests published by the US Institute of Medicine in 1995 concluded that the size of the US test veteran population was not large enough to make practical a scientifically adequate and epidemiologically valid study of genetic effects in the children of test veterans. This is despite there being over 210,000 US test veterans, ten times the number in the UK.
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§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will reinstate multiple myeloma as a pensionable condition for UK nuclear test veterans. [74729]
§ Mr. BayleyI have been asked to reply.
There is no prescribed list of medical conditions for which a war pension may be awarded. A war pension claimed more than seven years after discharge from service can be awarded for any condition, if, on the basis of reliable evidence, there is a reasonable doubt that disablement or death is due to service in HM forces. The Department's policy is that on current medical evidence and research a reasonable doubt has not been established that a causal link exists between multiple myeloma and participation in the UK nuclear tests programme. However, the Ministry of Defence has recently announced a further limited study into the incidence of multiple myeloma among veterans of the UKs atmospheric nuclear test programme in the 1950s. The results of this study are expected to be available by the end of next year.
§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the pension applications of nuclear test veterans that were rejected on the basis of the National Radiological Protection Board's conclusions on risk of cancer. [74727]
§ Mr. BayleyI have been asked to reply.
We know of no reason to do so. We accept the current findings of the study by the National Radiological Protection Board. However, the Ministry of Defence has recently announced a further limited study into the incidence of multiple myeloma among veterans of the UKs atmospheric nuclear test programme in the 1950s. The results of this study are expected to be available by the end of next year.