Written question asked by Betty Williams (Labour) on Thursday, 17 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 4 April 2005. It was answered by Ivor Caplin (Labour) on Monday, 4 April 2005 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will carry out a study of the health of veterans of the British Nuclear Test Programme.

Answer: Mrs. Betty Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will carry out a study of the health of veterans of the British Nuclear Test Programme. [223378] Mr. Caplin: [holding answer 22 March 2005]: A study into the general health of Nuclear Test Veterans would involve major practical and methodological difficulties. Such a study would necessitate individual contact with participants in the study or their GPs. Not only would this be a very large exercise to organise and undertake successfully, but there would also be considerable risk of bias arising from the difficulties of identifying, contacting and recovering responses from a fully representative sample of veterans or their dependants. The Government do not therefore intend to institute such a study.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 432 c1213W; 223378
Session: 2004-05
Subjects: Health Health hazards Nuclear weapons Radiation exposure Testing Veterans
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk