Uranium Shells

HC Deb 14 June 1993 vol 226 cc471-2W

Mr. Viggers

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will institute an inquiry into the possibility of troops having been contaminated during the Gulf war as a result of the use of uranium-tipped shells; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hanley

My Department has no evidence of members of the British armed forces who served in the Gulf conflict suffering from any unexplained symptoms which would call for such an inquiry. The health of all service personnel will of course continue to be monitored as a matter of routine.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what health checks have been carried out by his Department on MOD personnel who have(a) handled depleted uranium shells, (b) handled materials which have been struck by depleted uranium shells or (c) been exposed to material from detonated depleted uranium shells on British or NATO firing ranges at which British soldiers have trained.

Mr. Hanley

Health checks are carried out at the two test and evaluation ranges—Eskmeals and Kirkcudbright —where virtually all depleted uranium firing has taken place. At Eskmeals, health checks and radiation protection measures are fully in place to ensure that any contamination that might occur through the handling or firing of depleted uranium shells can be identified and dealt with quickly. At Kirkcudbright, exposure of staff to radiation is monitored on an individual basis.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what tests have been carried out for radioactivity(a) at British and NATO firing ranges at which British soldiers have changed or (b) the area surrounding such firing ranges where depleted uranium shells have been test fired; and if he will list the ranges and define the areas surrounding them;

(2) how many British and NATO ranges at which British soldiers have trained and areas surrounding them have been found to be contaminated by radioactivity from depleted uranium shells.

Mr. Hanley

Depleted uranium is not used by the British Army in peacetime training. Depleted uranium ammunition has however been test fired at three United Kingdom trials ranges—Eskmeals, West Freugh and Kirkcudbright—and soldiers have occasionally trained at all of these, although they no longer train at Kirkcudbright. Tests for radioactivity have been carried out at all three ranges as follows:

At Eskmeals, a regular programme of area monitoring has been undertaken since test firing started in 1980 and air, grass, water, animal faeces, foliage and dust samples analysed. In recent years the analysis has been done by the Atomic Energy Authority. Off-range monitoring is also carried out at two sites; at Welbank, three miles South East of the range, and Corney Fell, three miles to the East. Monitoring also covers the nearest centres of population.

At Kirkcudbright, soil, vegetation, seawater and silt samples are taken on a regular basis; analysis is carried out by BNFL and analysis is undertaken by the defence radiological protection service.

At West Freugh, the latest firing was in 1990 and a radiological survey was subsequently carried out by the Atomic Weapons Establishment of beach sand and seawater.

No detectable contamination has been found at West Freugh and only very low levels of radioactivity from depleted uranium ammunition have been detected at Eskmeals and Kirkcudbright. In both cases, the levels detected were well below anything which could be considered a health hazard either to those who work on the range or those who live near it.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many MOD personnel have been found to be contaminated with radioactivity from test-fired depleted uranium shells.

Mr. Hanley

At Eskmeals, no staff have been found to have been exposed to any level of radioactivity that would require investigation. At Kirkcudbright, no detectable exposures have been found.

Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the ranges(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) overseas at which the British armed forces have test fired depleted uranium armour-piercing shells.

Mr. Hanley

Since the programme was first authorised and announced to the House,Official Report. 8 March 1979, columns 777–78 and 25 January 1980, column 395, all United Kingdom depleted uranium firings, with the exception of a few small calibre rounds trialed at test and experimental establishment (T&EE) West Freugh in 1988 and 1990, have taken place at either proof and experimental establishment Eskmeals or T&EE Kirkcudbright. The Ministry of Defence has test fired depleted uranium armour-piercing shells at White Sands, New Mexico and Aberdeen proving ground, Maryland in the United States and at Grammat in France.