§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many nuclear test veterans have made claims for pensions; how many have been awarded; how many have been rejected; and how many are still under consideration.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardRecords show that 248 claims for war pension have been made by ex-service men, or the widows or dependants of ex-service men who participated in the United Kingdom nuclear weapons test programme. Most, but not all, of these were for disablement or death resulting from alleged exposure to ionising radiation. Fourteen claims are still under consideration. The war pensions scheme provides for pensions where there is reliable evidence which raises a reasonable doubt that a condition is caused or aggravated by service or that death was due to or substantially hastened by service. It is accepted that the evidence raises such a doubt in the case of participants who have contracted leukaemia (excluding chronic lymphatic leukaemia) or multiple myeloma. Two war disablement pensions and eight war widows' pensions have been awarded as a result.