§ 49. Mr. Masonasked the Prime Minister if he is yet in a position to make an announcement stating how many tests are due to take place near Christmas Island.
§ The Prime MinisterNo. It would not be in the interest of national security to give this information.
§ 51. Mr. Boydasked the Prime Minister whether he will assure the House that the British nuclear weapon tests will not result in so much radioactive fall-out as to increase the incidence of bone cancer or to be detectable on instruments situated in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
§ The Prime MinisterAs I have assured the House on several occasions, the forthcoming tests, which will be high air bursts, will not involve heavy fall-out; and I am satisfied that from the medical and biological point of view the radiation effects will be insignificant. I can give no assurance that these tests will not be detectable in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
§ 58. Mr. Grimondasked the Prime Minister what technical objections there are to a postponement of the nuclear bomb tests until further reports on the dangers can be received from the Medical Research Council and the United Nations Scientific Committee.
§ The Prime MinisterThe mounting of a nuclear test is a major operation requiring long and elaborate preparations. Moreover, testing is part of the development and production programme, which would be severely dislocated by postponement.