§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Prime Minister if she will list, for each of the nuclear tests and each experiment producing radioactive contamination carried out by the British Government between 1952 and 1963 (a) the date and location of the test or experiment, (b) the precise explosive yield, (c) the respective number of British and Australian military personnel involved, (d) the height above sea-level, (e) the authorised limit of radiation exposure for military personnel, (f) the recorded levels of maximum exposure actually experienced by personnel present and (g) what medical follow-up procedures were followed to monitor the long-term health of military personnel.
§ The Prime MinisterThe dates and locations of the 21 British atmospheric nuclear tests are as follows:
- 3 October 1952 Monte Bello, Western Australia
- 15 October 1953 Emu Field, South Australia
- 27 October 1953 Emu Field, South Australia
- 16 May 1956 Monte Bello, Western Australia
- 19 May 1956 Monte Bello, Western Australia
- 27 September 1956 Maralinga, South Australia
- 4 October 1956 Maralinga, South Australia
- 11 October 1956 Maralinga, South Australia
- 22 October 1956 Maralinga, South Australia
- 15 May 1957 Malden Islands, South Pacific
- 31 May 1957 Malden Islands, South Pacific
- 19 June 1957 Malden Islands, South Pacific
- 14 September 1957 Maralinga, South Australia
- 22 September 1957 Maralinga, South Australia
- 9 October 1957 Maralinga, South Australia
- 8 November 1957 Christmas Islands, South Pacific
- 28 April 1958 Christmas Islands, South Pacific
- 22 August 1958 Christmas Islands, South Pacific
- 2 September 1958 Christmas Islands, South Pacific
- 11 September 1958 Christmas Islands, South Pacific
- 23 September 1958 Christmas Islands, South Pacific
Additionally, from 1956 to 1964, a number of open air experiments with radioactive materials but not producing nuclear yields were conducted at Maralinga, South Australia.
The precise explosive yields of the tests listed above are classified. Three tests were of low yield, 11 were in the kiloton range, and 7 were in the megaton range.
Approximately 12,000 British service men and 1,500 British civilians participated in the test programmes together with about 1,500 Australians. The records are not in a form which allow the number attending each test to be given.
The exact heights of burst of the tests are classified. Two were at ground-sea level, eight were tower mounted, three were suspended from balloons and eight were air dropped.
As my noble Friend Lord Trenchard stated in his written answer on 25 October 1982—[Vol. 435, c 390]—the records indicate that no one involved in the British nuclear tests in 1957 suffered exposure in excess 292W of the internationally recognised limits at the time. The recommendations published by the International Commission on Radiological Protection recognised that specially planned exposures above their normal limits were permissible. In the light of these recommendations the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority set a range of exposure limits for different parts of the test programme ranging from 3 rems as the normal working level up to a higher limit of 25 rems for special operations vital to the success of the tests. This level was only exceeded in the case of two service personnel, who received an exposure of 30 rems in 1958.
No special measures to monitor the long-term health of military personnel were taken because the radiation exposure records indicated that they had not been exposed to any significant health hazard.
§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Prime Minister if she will list, for each of the ships HMS Zeebrugge, HMS Narvik, HMS Tracker, HMS Campania, and each of their accompanying small landing craft, involved in the British atomic test at the Monte Bello islands in 1952 (a) the closest distance approached to the site of the explosion by the vessel and Royal Navy personnel, (b) the degree, nature and level of radioactive contamination undergone immediately after the explosion, (c) all measures taken to decontaminate these ships and their degree of success, (d) the radiation level of contamination and contaminated samples on board and (e) the number of personnel on each ship.
§ The Prime MinisterAt the time of the 1952 Monte Bello test, HMS Narvik and HMS Tracker were five miles south-east of the explosion; HMS Campania and HMS Zeebrugge were 12 miles south-east of the explosion; and all small craft were 12 or more miles south-east of the explosion. None of the ships was contaminated directly by the explosion. After the explosion, as radioactively contaminated water was dispersed from the lagoon in which the explosion took place into the area occupied by the ships, the ships' bottoms and the salt water systems became very lightly contaminated at a level which represented no significant hazard to the ships' companies. Some of the smaller craft entered the lagoon to collect samples and they too were lightly contaminated. All the ships and the small craft were decontaminated successfully ensuring that there was no residual hazard. The contamination levels were so low as to be insignificant. The recorded numbers of naval personnel aboard Zeebrugge, Narvik, Tracker and Campania are approximately 150, 430, 160 and 700 respectively.
§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government accept the assertion by the Australian Government on 15 May 1980 that a number of aboriginals had been contaminated in May 1957 by entering radioactive areas where nuclear tests were being carried out by the British Government; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterYes. An Army officer saw an aboriginal family, a man a woman, a boy and a baby girl in the vicinity of a health physics control unit on 14 May 1957 and concluded that they might have walked through a contaminated area. The family described their movements and this established that they had walked across and had camped overnight in a contaminated area 293W but had not entered a "bomb crater" as has been claimed in press reports. The family were monitored for radioactive contamination and only the boy gave positive results of a very minor degree of contamination over his buttocks and on the right side of his head. Although the contamination level was below that for which decontamination was mandatory, the boy was offered a shower. He accepted reluctantly but found the experience so enjoyable that the whole family joined in. It was estimated that the maximum radiation dose that the members of the family could have experienced was 7 millirem, a level which could not produce any identifiable health risk.
§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Prime Minister if she will list each nuclear test and experiment involving radioactive contamination carried out by the United Kingdom between 1952 and 1963, which involved the use, or subsequent production in particle form of (a) beryllium, (b) cobalt and (c) natural uranium.
§ The Prime MinisterThe reply given by my hon. Friend the Minster for State for Defence Procurement to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Edge Hill (Mr. Alton) yesterday makes it clear that cobalt was used in nuclear tests at Maralinga in 1957. Beryllium and natural uranium are commonly used in nuclear test devices. Security considerations do not permit the general disclosure of the materials used in specific devices.
My reply to one of the hon. Member's other questions today states that a number of experiments with radioactive materials but not producing nuclear yields were conducted by the United Kingdom. In some of these, beryllium an/or natural uranium was used with a resultant minor contamination of the local environment; I am advised that the subsequent clean-up operations ensured that there was no residual hazard.