NUCLEAR TEST VETERANS

That this House recognises the long-term damage caused to the health of the atom bomb veterans; welcomes the victory recently secured in the courts with Mr Justice Foskett rejecting the Ministry of Defence's arguments that the victims of the nuclear testing in the South Pacific will have no case; recognises that while this judgement is a welcome development, a long legal battle still lies ahead; believes that such a process is not in the interests of the veterans and their families; and calls on the Government to settle the matter as soon as possible by awarding compensation to the victims of the nuclear testing programme.