Written question asked by Ian Gibson (Labour) on Tuesday, 12 March 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 25 March 2002. It was answered by Lord Moonie (Labour) on Monday, 25 March 2002 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimates he has made of the number of cancer cases caused by radioactivity released from nuclear bombs in testing in the 1950s and 1960s.

Answer: Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimates he has made of the number of cancer cases caused by radioactivity released from nuclear bombs in testing in the 1950s and 1960s. [43402] Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has commissioned epidemiological studies into the health of those British personnel who participated in British atmospheric nuclear tests which took place in the 1950s and 1960s. The National Radiological Protection Board carries out studies into the exposure to radiation of the population of the United Kingdom as a whole, including fallout from weapons testing, and publishes reports on this subject. This does not include estimation of the rates of cancer that might arise.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 43402; 382 c550-1W;382 c548-9W
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Cancer Radiation National Radiological Protection Board Nuclear weapons Radiation exposure Testing Veterans
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk