29. Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met ex-British service personnel nuclear test victims to discuss compensation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HanleyI met nuclear test veteran representatives on 17 January 1994. My Department would consider compensation for any British test veteran whose death or illness had been caused by radiation from the atmospheric nuclear tests. The report of the National Radiological Protection Board published in December 1993 did not however find any overall excess of death or malignant disease among test veterans, and concluded that participation in the nuclear test programme has had no effect on life expectancy or on the risk of developing cancer or other fatal diseases.