NUCLEAR TEST VETERANS

That this House notes that servicemen involved in the British nuclear weapons tests programme in the Pacific and Australia in the 1950s and 1960s have subsequently attributed cases of ill-health to their exposure to radiation during and after the tests; welcomes the conclusions of the cross-party inquiry into nuclear test veterans chaired by the hon. Member for Billericay and the former hon. Member for Norwich North; believes that far greater recognition of this problem and co-operation with veterans is required from the Ministry of Defence; notes the Government's promise to undertake a health analysis on veterans' offspring, madeon 22October 2008 to the hon. Member for Billericay; further notes the promise made by the Government in April 2009 to follow up last year's New Zealand chromosome study on veterans, with results delivered to a reasonable timescale; acknowledges that since these promises were given very little progress has been made in determining the design, parameters and terms of reference of these studies; and therefore calls on the Government to speed up the process and thereby honour its duty of care towards this loyal and dignified group of servicemen and their families.