§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken since 1967 to clean up radioactive and toxic waste, and surplus military materials, on Christmas Island; what has been the cost to date of the clean-up; how many United Kingdom military personnel are currently involved in this activity; what is the estimated date of completion of this work; and if he will estimate the likely future costs of the operation.[14718]
§ Mr. SpellarMy Department is aware of the waste and equipment remaining on Christmas Island after the atmospheric tests in the 1950s. Three separate radiological surveys, including one by the New Zealand Department of Health, have concluded that there is no radioactive contamination which would present a hazard to the inhabitants of Christmas Island.
65WOn completion of the atmospheric testing and related programmes, the United Kingdom undertook extensive radiation surveys and rehabilitation work in areas which may have been affected. Surveys and rehabilitation work on Christmas Island would have been completed before the final evacuation of the Island in July 1964. The costs of these operations to the United Kingdom cannot be separated from the overall expenditure on the whole test series.
We have found no existing records of any action being taken since 1967 to clean up waste and equipment on Christmas Island; nor are there any records of costs being incurred or estimated for such an operation, or of military personnel participating in any clean-up. No clean up is currently being carried out by military personnel; nor are there any current plans to initiate such an operation.
We are prepared to discuss with the Government of Kiribati options which they might put forward for the disposal of the equipment and waste on Christmas Island; and what advice or assistance we might be able to provide.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the environmental and health legacies of the testing of H-bombs on Christmas Island.[15706]
§ Mr. SpellarThe British nuclear test programme was carried out in the Central Pacific area between May 1957 and September 1958. Between April and July 1962, with United Kingdom agreement and participation, the United States conducted a series of tests on Christmas Island.
Christmas Island has been subject to three radiological surveys since the end of the nuclear weapons tests. These were conducted by the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (AWRE), which reported in June 1964, the University of Washington in September 1975, and the New Zealand Department of Health which reported in 1981. Only the AWRE survey was sponsored by the United Kingdom; the others were conducted at the request of the Island's Government. The conclusion reached by all three surveys was that there was no evidence of any radiological contamination which would present a hazard to the inhabitants of Christmas Island.
I am not aware of any other recent surveys of Christmas Island having been conducted by my Department.
A survey of the Island was conducted by the then Overseas Development Administration (ODA) in May 1996. A copy of the ODA' s report of that survey has been placed in the Library of the House. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office are not aware of any environmental or health surveys of Christmas Island other than that carried out by the ODA last year.