§ 8. Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Defence what information he has about nuclear weapon explosions carried out by the Russian Government during the past few weeks; and whether he will make a statement on the recent British developments in this field of defence.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydI have nothing to add to the statements on recent Russian explosions released by my Department and the United States Atomic Energy Commission. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Blackburn (Mrs. Castle) on 22nd June last, and to the statements issued by the Ministry of Supply on 12th September, which I am including in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
TEXT OF MINISTRY OF SUPPLY PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON 12TH SEPTEMBER, 1955
It has already been announced that an atomic weapons proving ground is being constructed at Maralinga in the central Australian desert, north of Watson on the Trans-continental railway. This proving ground will not be ready for use until late in 1956 but the progress in our atomic weapons programme is such that we wish to conduct a series of tests, our third, in April next year.
To enable us to do this the Australian Government, for whose co-operation in all matters connected with these tests we are extremely grateful, have agreed to the use for this third series of the Monte Bello islands, which were the site of our first atomic test.
The fall-out on the islands and the near-by sea will be less than that caused by the explosion of 1952. There will be no danger to people or stock on the mainland and detonation will only take place when the meteorological conditions are fully satisfactory.
200WThe scientific director will be Mr. C. A. Adams, who was deputy scientific superintendent at the first Monte Bello tests in 1952 and was scientific superintendent for the second series staged at Emu under Sir William Penney in 1953.
Following the third series of tests will be a fourth series, which is to take place later in 1956 at Maralinga. This series will be under the scientific direction of Sir William Penney.
No tests will exceed a few tons of kilotons in yield and some will be smaller.
A number of United Kingdom and Australian Government departments will send scientific or Service teams to conduct the work. The Australian meteorological service will provide meteorological information for both the third and fourth series.
As in earlier tests, the decision to fire will only be made after eminent Australian scientists, nominated by the Australian Government, have made their own independent assessments of the fall-out patterns and have agreed that conditions are safe.