§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current position regarding discussions between the Governments of the United Kingdom and Australia418W regarding the clean-up of nuclear contamination on the Maralinga lands in South Australia and compensation to the Aboriginal people affected; and when he expects to announce Her Majesty's Government's intentions.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe Australian Government have asked that the United Kingdom make a contribution towards the cost of further rehabilitation of the former nuclear weapon test sites at Maralinga and Emu Field in South Australia, and meet the cost of providing compensation for the local Aboriginal population. Our view is that the agreement reached in 1968 with the then Australian Government releases the United Kingdom from any further responsibility for rehabilitation of these sites and that the question of compensation for the Aboriginal population is not one for Her Majesty's Government. Nevertheless, we are carefully studying the Australian request, which raises a number of complex legal and technical issues, and hope to give a considered response soon.