MoD confirms nuclear investigation
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed an investigation into the effects of British nuclear tests on the descendants of the servicemen who conducted them.
Veterans minister Kevan Jones met with the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association (BNTVA) and Conservative backbench MP John Baron, who has helped spearhead the campaign, yesterday to discuss the health of the veterans and their descendants.
“These veterans simply want justice for themselves and their descendents,” Mr Baron said.
“They served their country and they now rightly expect their country to be fair with them.”
Yesterday’s meeting followed a Commons debate on the issue last week in which Mr Baron set out the findings of his cross-party inquiry into the problem.
The MoD has historically denied any link between the tests and ex-servicemen’s’ health, but global evidence increasingly points to a connection between certain congenital diseases and exposure to radiation.
It will now consult with scientific experts ahead of the study into the health of the veterans’ children and grandchildren.
