§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) of 21 January 1999,Official Report, column 531, if further research on the incidence of multiple myeloma among nuclear test veterans will be funded; and if Dr Sue Rabbitt Roff s data will be used. [72770]
§ Mr. SpellarMy hon. Friend's question is opportune since I have today given my approval to the funding of a study into the incidence of multiple myeloma among nuclear test veterans of the UK's atmospheric nuclear test programme in the 1950s. The work will be undertaken by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) on lines similar to those which applied to the two earlier studies published in 1988 and 1993.
The study will be conducted under the guidance of an oversight committee whose membership will include eminent independent experts together with a representative of the MOD's Surgeon General's Department.
The NRPB will wish to consider all the available relevant data and the results of this study, which will be peer reviewed and published in a suitable scientific journal, should be available by the end of next year.