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Written question asked by Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour) on Monday, 20 November 2023, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 22 November 2023. It was answered by Andrew Murrison (Conservative) on Tuesday, 28 November 2023 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.


Christmas Island: Nuclear Weapons

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on whether islanders were displaced in order for the UK to test nuclear weapons on Kiritimati.

Answer

At the time it was selected for nuclear tests, Kiritimati was uninhabited, although indigenous people from the surrounding islands came to Kiritimati to work under the British authorities or on copra plantations. Historic records show these citizens were temporarily evacuated to ships or flown to nearby islands before UK nuclear weapons detonations.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
2732
Session
2023-24
Subjects
Nuclear weapons Testing Internally displaced people Christmas Island
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk