The UK’s Defence Secretary, John Healey, has announced an inquiry in Parliament into whether hidden documents exist revealing whether authorities monitored the health of men impacted by nuclear bomb tests during the 1950s. Survivors in their 80s allege that they and their children have suffered cancers, genetic defects and other illnesses linked to radioactive fallout. Many indigenous communities in Australia, where many of the tests were conducted, have made similar claims. For decades successive governments have denied the existence of any secret programme.
Healey told MPs that while there was no suppression of information, officials would carry out a “detailed dig” into archival records following concerns expressed by the affected veterans. The minister pledged to release all documentation if the government held it and said that he was taking the claims very seriously.
However, Healey warned that finding records was not simple, given the potential for loss over time. He suggested that a judge-led process could take years to get the answers that the veterans desired. Survivors have suggested that the government launches a limited tribunal as an alternative to legal action, but the Defence Secretary was hesitant to commit to that proposal.
Alan Owen, one of the campaign leaders for the affected men, praised the decision as a step forward after years of demanding answers. This follows on from a recent documentary aired by the BBC on Wednesday alleging a cover-up that has persisted for decades regarding the health effects on personnel caused by nuclear testing. Documents recently declassified are said to support the memories of medical staff taking blood and urine samples from test witnesses
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
