§ Mr. Holtasked the Secretary' of State for Defence, following atomic weapons trial tests in the 1950s, what details are available showing the number of officers and men who have died (a) prematurely and (b) of cancer.
§ Mr. Norman LamontI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Adley) on 25 March 1986, at column 462. The National Radiological Protection Board is currently conducting a study into mortality among those who participated in the United Kingdom atmospheric nuclear weapon test programme, compared with a matched group who did not. It is also intended to examine cancer registrations.
§ Mr. Holtasked the Secretary of State for Defence what instances of genetic abnormalities in first and second generations have been noted in the families of those exposed to atomic weapons trials tests.
§ Mr. Norman LamontI am not aware of any valid evidence of a higher incidence of hereditary defects (sometimes referred to as congenital abnormalities) in the offspring of participants, than occurs in the United Kingdom population as a whole. I am confident that the study currently being undertaken by the National Radiological Protection Board, which is analysing mortality and morbidity data, is the best way forward to determine whether participants were disadvantaged. I will consider the need for further action in the light of the study's findings.
§ Mr. Holtasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) during atomic weapon trials in the 1950s, how many officers and men were exposed to atomic radiation tests with protective equipment;
(2) during atomic weapon trials in the 1950s, how many officers and men were exposed to atomic radiation tests without protective equipment.
§ Mr. Norman LamontI refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 15 January 1985, at column 84 and the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Harrison) on 2 December 1985, at column 92. These apply not only to the Christmas Island tests, but to the nuclear test programmes conducted in or near the Australian continent.