Nuclear Weapons Test Sites (Hansard, 9 February 1989)

HC Deb 09 February 1989 vol 146 c764W 764W

§ Mr. Martyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total cost to date for the environmental clean-up of radioactive contamination on(a) Christmas Island, (b) Monte Bello and (c) Maralinga nuclear weapons test sites; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Sainsbury
On completion of the United Kingdom atmospheric testing and related programmes and as part of the whole operation, the United Kingdom undertook extensive radiation surveys and rehabilitation work in areas which may have been affected. The costs of these operations to the United Kingdom cannot be separated from the overall expenditure on the whole test series which cannot be published for reasons of national security.