HC Deb 09 February 1960 vol 617 cc33-4W
77. Mr. Awbery

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the recent evidence, of which details have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Bristol, Central, of the danger that wind blowing from the Sahara Desert will carry radioactive sand from the French bomb test in the direction of Malta, if he will make the necessary representations and take steps to prevent this danger spreading to British territories.

Mr. R. Allan

No. In his speech to the Political Committee of the United Nations General Assembly on 4th November, 1959, Monsieur Jules Moch said: "The experts agree in stating that, to all intents and purposes, there is no wind towards the South, West or North which could carry anything 1,000 kms. from the Saharan site. The sands from Africa which sometimes are found in Southern Europe do not come from the area chosen, but from the African deserts far away from it." Malta is 1,750 kms. (1,090 miles) from the site of the French test.