HC Deb 29 October 1984 vol 65 cc852-3W
Mr. Fallon

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will remove the inhibitions which participants in the United Kingdom nuclear weapons test programme feel in talking freely about their experiences during the test programme, for fear of prosecution under the Official Secrets Act; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Butler

Yes. Any participant or dependent subject subject to the Official Secrets Act is now authorised to communicate to any person information which is in the categories defined as follows and which relates to the United Kingdom atomic test programme in Australia and the External Territories during the perid of 28 years commencing 1 January 1952 (ie from the initiation of the Hurricane Operation to completion of the operation in 1979 to repatriate some plutonium from the burial pits at Taranaki):

Category 1. The measures taken before, and at the time of the tests and that have been taken since, for the purpose of protecting persons against exposure to the harmful effects of ionising radiation and against contact with radioactive substances and other toxic materials used in or produced by the tests.

Category 2. The arrangements made at the time of the tests and afterwards to exclude unauthorised persons from areas in relation to the tests were prohibited or restricted access for the purposes of the (Australian) Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952.

Category 3. The means by which buildings, equipment and materials remaining at the test sites were disposed of during and on completion of the tests.

Notwithstanding the aforementioned, any information within the three categories which reveals directly or by inference could reveal details of the design, construction or performance of nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices is specifically excluded from this authorisation.

Those in possession of information about which they have doubts as to whether it is included in any of the above categories, should seek the advice of the Ministry of Defence. In Australia this may be done through the British High Commission in Canberra.