Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what records her Department holds on the civilian (a) women and (b) children who travelled to Christmas Island on troop ship Dunera in 1958.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
A review of archived files held by the Ministry of Defence is being undertaken. This will take some time and I will write to the hon. Member once this has concluded.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what records her Department holds on military equipment contaminated by radiation during (a) UK and (b) US nuclear tests; and (i) where and (ii) how that equipment was disposed of.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Information on UK military equipment that may have been contaminated by UK or US nuclear tests or how it was subsequently disposed is not held centrally. To search all the Department's historic records that may contain this information could only be done at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of to Question 200586, and with reference to National Archives documents Annex G to O92/2534(ASD 26) dated 9 January 1957, and C/6084/PA 1(b) dated 19 November 1957, in which Department the results of the samples referred to in those documents are held.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Any records that exist of blood or urine samples taken at the UK atomic weapon tests may be retained in the serviceman's record which if held could be at either the Government's or Ministry of Defence's archive. These medical records are unlikely to be collated in a form related to samples or incidences.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 38 of the report of the Director of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment on Operation Hurricane, ref AWRE-T1/54, what records his Department holds on urine samples taken from servicemen present at the UK atomic weapons tests in the 1950s.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Any records that exist of blood or urine samples taken at the UK atomic weapon tests may be retained in the serviceman's record which if held could be at either the Government's or Ministry of Defence's archive. These medical records are unlikely to be collated in a form related to samples or incidences.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessments were made using beta, gamma and X-ray detection of likely alpha radiation contamination as a result of Operation Grapple Y at Christmas Island in 1958.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We are unable to locate any information related to your question.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of war pension applications claiming injury as a result of radiation exposure were (a) approved, (b) denied and (c) approved on appeal in each of the last five years.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the information on the possibility of genetic damage that was given to participants in the UK nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s (a) before, (b) during and (c) after their service.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is unable to locate any information regarding whether any advice was given to participants of the UK nuclear tests regarding the possibility of genetic damage.
The MOD does hold documents which confirm that regulations were in place to ensure that protection and safety information was given by the officer responsible to all personnel involved in each task. This included subjects such as basic training in nuclear weapon effects and health physics for all ranks, personal protection and issue and use of protective clothing and dosemeters and training in radiological safety.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on data that was gathered from blood samples taken from servicemen (a) before, (b) during and (c) after their service at the UK nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Ministry of Defence is unable to locate any information that suggests that Atomic Weapons Research Establishment staff took blood samples for radiological monitoring at the tests. Service personnel who were present may have had blood samples taken during their career, but these individual military medical records are not held centrally.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) documents and (b) photographs the Atomic Weapons Establishment holds on the flight of a Canberra B6 aircraft with the number 980 at Christmas Island on 30 April 1958.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Neither the Ministry of Defence (MOD) or the Atomic Weapons Establishment hold any information regarding a flight of Canberra WH 980 on 30 April 1958.
The MOD has reviewed the 76 Sqn RAF Operational Record Book which contains the detailed list of all flights undertaken by 76 Sqn at Operation Grapple Y. This document shows flights by Canberra WH 980 on 1, 3, 5, 16, 18, 22, 25 and 28 April 1958, but does not include any reference to a flight on 30 April 1958. The 76 Sqn RAF Operational Record Book is publicly available at the National Archives.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) documents and (b) photographs his Department holds on the flight of a Canberra B6 aircraft with the number 980 at Christmas Island on 30 April 1958.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Neither the Ministry of Defence (MOD) or the Atomic Weapons Establishment hold any information regarding a flight of Canberra WH 980 on 30 April 1958.
The MOD has reviewed the 76 Sqn RAF Operational Record Book which contains the detailed list of all flights undertaken by 76 Sqn at Operation Grapple Y. This document shows flights by Canberra WH 980 on 1, 3, 5, 16, 18, 22, 25 and 28 April 1958, but does not include any reference to a flight on 30 April 1958. The 76 Sqn RAF Operational Record Book is publicly available at the National Archives.