HC Deb 27 March 1958 vol 585 cc62-3W
54. Mr. Mason

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that the United States Atomic Energy Commission has proposed to ration nuclear weapon tests on the basis of the amount of radioactivity released per year; to what extent the Medical Research Council has independently considered this idea; and what conclusions it has reached with regard to the eventual emergence of a safe workable system for atom and hydrogen bomb testing.

The Prime Minister

The hon. Gentleman is no doubt referring to Press reports of a statement before the Senate Disarmament Sub-Committee by Dr. Libby, who emphasised that he was speaking personally and not putting forward an official proposal. Her Majesty's Government devoted considerable study to this subject before proposing in the United Nations Disarmament Sub-Committee on 6th May last, that a committee of technical experts should be established to consider possible methods of limiting nuclear test explosions. The views of the Medical Research Council were taken into account.

Unfortunately these proposals were rejected at the time by the Soviet Union.