British Nuclear Test Veterans Service Medals

2020-11-12

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Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer

Lee Rowley

▸ Context

Veterans of British nuclear tests have been campaigning for medallic recognition. This issue has seen representations made to a sub-committee tasked with reviewing historical medal claims.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of service medals for British nuclear test veterans. My constituent John Ward was one of many veterans sent there in 1957, and he has campaigned for years for recognition through a medal.

Johnny Mercer

I appreciate how important medallic recognition is to so many of our veterans groups. There is an independent process that looks at the consideration of historical medal claims. That sub-committee restarted in 2018, and I know that it has received representations from nuclear test veterans. Those review recommendations will be made public as soon as possible.

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Q2 Direct Answer

Lee Rowley

▸ Context

The recent passage of the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill has raised concerns about its potential impact on the cause of British nuclear test veterans seeking recognition.

My constituent John Ward was one of many veterans sent there in 1957, and he has campaigned for years for recognition through a medal. May I encourage the Minister to continue to do what he can to acknowledge the service of those veterans and to confirm that the recent Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill, which was passed, has no bearing or impact on their cause?

Johnny Mercer

I have for some time been a supporter of his campaign, and I would urge him to continue in that vein. When it comes to the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill, there were a huge number of misunderstandings about this. It deals with people who are deployed on overseas operations. The nuclear test veterans were not deployed on overseas operations, and their ability to claim compensation for what happened to them is unaffected by this legislation.