MoD under pressure on nuclear test veterans records

The Ministry of Defence has declined to confirm how many personnel are currently assigned to the internal review of historic records concerning British nuclear test veterans, citing the complexity and breadth of the task.

In response to two written parliamentary questions from Sir John Hayes MP (Conservative – South Holland and The Deepings), Al Carns, Minister for Veterans, reaffirmed the government’s gratitude to those involved in the UK’s Cold War-era nuclear testing programme, but acknowledged that there is no ringfenced team or budget for the review of related medical records.

“Many officials from across the Department are involved in roles ranging from supporting the recall of files from various archives to analysing the files,” said Carns. “Collating information on the number of officials involved would be time consuming and detract from those officials delivering the records exercise itself.”

The records review, launched in response to growing concern from veterans and campaigners, aims to determine what information the Ministry of Defence holds regarding potential medical monitoring and testing of personnel exposed to radiation during nuclear weapons trials in the 1950s and 1960s.

Carns said the task remains “a priority” and confirmed that the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) has also been tasked with supporting the work. However, the scale and timeline of the exercise remain uncertain.

“At this stage, we cannot confirm when the records exercise will be complete. We are not currently certain how many files need to be reviewed, and the content of those files varies significantly over time and between the Services, which were under separate Ministries during the period of the nuclear tests,” the minister explained.

In a parallel response, Carns was asked whether the MoD holds any specific information about allegations of medical monitoring of nuclear test veterans since 2022. Again, he did not confirm any new findings but reiterated his commitment to meeting veterans and organisations representing them.

“I held a meeting with a Nuclear Test Veteran organisation most recently on 31 March 2025, and I look forward to further engagement, including with Members of Parliament,” he noted.

Calls for the Ministry to fully disclose any documentation related to potential medical experimentation or long-term health effects have grown louder in recent years, particularly in light of similar disclosures in other nuclear powers such as the United States and France.