§ Mr. HuttonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what payments have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the United States Government in each year since 1979 in respect of the environmental costs of the British nuclear weapons testing programme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AitkenThe United Kingdom pays the cost levied by the United States authorities for each test on an individual basis. Included in the costs are payments covering arrangements for the management and disposal of radioactive wastes associated with the test, but none are made specifically in respect of environmental issues. The wastes are disposed of by the United States under recognised procedures.