House of Commons · Westminster Hall
28 November 2023 · 11 other contributors · 13,024 words
Opened by Rebecca Long-Bailey Lab Salford
Responding minister: Andrew Murrison
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Rebecca Long-Bailey raised concerns about nuclear test veterans: medical records in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
The Minister is asked to clarify the status of blood and urine sample information, review security classifications for withheld documents, release AB and ES series files, and confirm if historical records are being searched upon request. The key request is to provide veterans with their medical information while they are still alive.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
British nuclear test veterans are struggling to access their medical records, particularly blood and urine testing results from the nuclear testing programme. Many confirm that their service medical records do not include these test results, leading to uncertainty about their health conditions such as leukaemia and rare genetic disorders. The issue has been raised since 1983 but remains unresolved despite evidence of radiation-related health impacts.
Acknowledged the work of Rebecca Long Bailey and Rachel Hopkins on veteran rights, highlighted the history of supporting nuclear test veterans in Islwyn with annual marches until 2011. Emphasised the importance of medical records for diagnosing health conditions related to radiation exposure from nuclear tests conducted between 1952-1973 involving around 40,000 individuals. Noted that some veterans received incomplete or redacted medical records with missing information on blood and urine tests.
Veterans and their families have been pursuing justice for decades following exposure to nuclear tests. The MOD is responsible for sending servicemen to blasts without adequate protection, resulting in health issues like cancer, heart problems, depression, and rare genetic conditions. There has been suspicion of a cover-up regarding evidence that links radiation exposure to these health issues. The MP asks why President Biden can support U.S. World War II veterans with cancer and other medical conditions stemming from the nuclear programme, while similar support is not available for British nuclear test veterans.
The hon. Member for Easington raised the mental health concerns of nuclear testing veterans and highlighted his constituent's case, John Morris, who has suffered physical conditions linked to radiation exposure.
Congratulates the hon. Member on the debate's importance to a constituent whose father served at Maralinga, highlighting concerns about genetic conditions in the family due to uncertainty over medical records.
Mr. Jim Shannon expressed concern about the lack of compensation for British servicemen who participated in nuclear tests and now suffer from health issues. He highlighted that there are 20,000 veterans involved with many being his constituents, and none have received any compensation or complete medical records to support their claims. Shannon also mentioned a need for transparency regarding missing medical data and the potential cover-up by the Ministry of Defence.
Pays tribute to Rebecca Long Bailey for securing the debate, highlights progress made in recognising nuclear test veterans through a medal and reception. Raises concerns about withheld medical records, suggesting it looks like a cover-up. Questions the MOD's handling of blood tests, noting that freedom of information requests revealed the existence of such records despite previous denials. The MP endorsed Stella Creasy's speech, praising her advocacy and the inspiration it provided. He also mentioned his commitment to ensuring posthumous medals are awarded to descendants of veterans like Douglas Hern. The MP questions why earlier inquiries about blood and urine tests conducted on nuclear test veterans were not answered by previous Ministers, urging the current government to provide this information now.
The speaker congratulated the hon. Member for Salford and Eccles on her persistence in campaigning for justice for nuclear test veterans, thanked Susie Boniface of The Daily Mirror for her investigative journalism, and echoed the gratitude to colleagues involved in the issue. He argued that transparency and respect should be shown to these veterans and their families, emphasizing that many are suffering disadvantage because of their service. The speaker also asked what discussions Ministers have had with the nuclear test veterans regarding access to medical records, when they last met the group, whether there is a good reason for withholding medical records, if it is about cost, how war pension applications from these veterans are supported, and how medallic recognition ties in with their campaign. The MP is concerned about the Ministry of Defence's changing statements regarding blood and urine tests conducted on nuclear test veterans. He urges the Minister to provide a clear direction for addressing these issues, offering comfort and confidence to families affected by nuclear testing.
Supports the hon. Member's call for transparency regarding veterans' medical records, urging either full access or a clear explanation of why it is not possible.
A constituent's husband served in Kiritimati during nuclear tests, suffering from mental health issues upon return. Richard Foord asks if the debate will address both physical and mental health impacts of these veterans.
Mr. Scott Benton intervened to stress the importance of openness from the Ministry of Defence, particularly concerning veterans like his constituent Dennis Brooks who served this country in nuclear tests and deserve answers regarding their medical records before it is too late.
The MP shared the story of her constituent Albert Swain, a nuclear test veteran who witnessed the detonation of a hydrogen bomb without protective equipment. She highlighted that he and his family have faced health issues including skin cancer, blindness, anxiety, miscarriages, gynaecological problems, and scoliosis, which could be linked to radiation exposure. The MP argued for proactive government action in releasing medical data and investigating healthcare concerns rather than waiting for requests or legal actions. The MP highlights concerns raised by the Brunel study regarding DNA mutations and birth defects in families of nuclear test veterans, suggesting that further exploration is needed before completely dismissing a health impact.
Government Response
Andrew MurrisonI start by congratulating the hon. Member for Salford and Eccles (Rebecca Long Bailey) for bringing this debate and for her tireless championing of the cause of nuclear test veterans. We all have nuclear test veterans in our constituencies. Many of us served with them during the initial parts of our service life; and some of us have nuclear test veterans in our own families. The UK atmospheric nuclear test programme experimented on weapons, not service personnel. Tests were carried out to contemporary radiological standards as shown by documented safety measures and monitoring at the time. Over six decades, there have been four independently conducted and analysed longitudinal cohort studies demonstrating that cancer and mortality rates for nuclear test veterans are similar to those serving contemporaneously in the armed forces who did not participate in testing programmes; these rates are lower than for the general population due to what is called the healthy worker effect. The minister emphasised the importance of relying on peer-reviewed evidence, which suggests no health effects from participation in nuclear tests. He stated that medical records or test results have not been withheld for national security reasons and provided assurance about transparency regarding medical data. The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) does not hold personal health records but holds historical technical documentation available through freedom of information requests. For compensation, nuclear test veterans still have the right to apply for no-fault compensation under the war pensions scheme if they served before 6 April 2005. The minister also addressed specific concerns about individual medical data handling and committed to reviewing a list of 150 files containing references to blood and urine tests, ensuring that any non-public domain documents are examined for reasons why they should or shouldn't be made public. He noted the government's commitment to supporting nuclear veterans through commemorative medals and ongoing projects to document their experiences. The Government is committed to doing everything reasonably possible to support our nuclear veterans, acknowledging their profound contribution through medallic recognition, with 1,600 veterans having received a commemorative medal featuring an atom surrounded by olive branches. The minister emphasised the importance of transparency in making available records that can be released under freedom of information requests and reiterated the government's support for further projects to understand the experiences of those involved in nuclear testing.