§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning his recent meeting with Mr. Gareth Evans, Foreign Minister of the Australian federal Government, regarding the clean-up of the Maralinga site.
§ Mr. HanleyFollowing a meeting of Australian and United Kingdom Ministers and officials on 17 and 18 June, and consideration by the Australian Cabinet, it has been agreed in principle that Her Majesty's Government will pay £20 million to the Government of Australia in full and final settlement of Australia's claims against the United Kingdom regarding the rehabilitation of the former British nuclear weapon test sites at Maralinga and Emu in South Australia. The precise terms of the settlement will be the subject of a written agreement between the two Governments, the details of which are expected to be finalised soon. Her Majesty's Government remain of the view that our legal responsibilities for rehabilitation have already been fully discharged and the payment is therefore being made on a strictly ex-gratia basis. Nevertheless, we believe that this represents a satisfactory solution to a long-running dispute between the United Kingdom and Australia.