Nuclear Weapons: Testing

(asked on 4th March 2020) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the medical conditions of descendants of veterans who were present at the British nuclear testing programme.


Answered by
Johnny Mercer Portrait
Johnny Mercer
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
This question was answered on 9th March 2020

There is no published peer-reviewed evidence of excess illness or mortality among nuclear test veterans as a group that could be linked to their participation in the tests or to exposure to radiation because of that participation. The Ministry of Defence has also seen no evidence of excessive ill-health or mortality among the descendants of nuclear test veterans.

Nuclear test veterans who believe they have suffered ill-health due to service have the right to apply for no-fault compensation under the War Pension Scheme. War Pensions are payable in respect of illness or injury as a result of service in the Armed Forces before 6 April 2005, with the benefit of reasonable doubt always given to the claimant. Decisions are medically certified and follow consideration of available service and medical evidence and carry full rights of appeal to an independent tribunal.

The Ministry of Defence has no plans to provide compensation to the descendants of nuclear test veterans.

Reticulating Splines