NUCLEAR TESTS - EFFECT ON HEALTH AND FOOD

Mr D. S. Marshall asked the Minister for Health whether he will make a statement as regards the possible effect on the health of the people of Singapore and their food supply of the proposed nuclear tests by the British Government based on Christmas Island.

Mr Braga: Mr Speaker, Sir, I take it that what the hon. Member intends to ask is in reference to the proposed nuclear tests based on Christmas island by the British Government - an island which, as has already been pointed out, is 6,600 miles away and farther from Singapore than is the North Pole. I might add that there are several countries such as Australia, New Zealand. Hawaii, the Philippines and even the Californian coast of the United States of America which are far nearer to the centre of these experimental tests than is Singapore, and apparently no anxiety for the welfare of their peoples has yet been expressed by them. Russia has been exploding atom and hydrogen bombs at distances nearer to Singapore than is Christmas Island in the Pacific, and this question might well be addressed to them.

As regards the danger of possible effect on the health of the people of Singapore and their food supply, I can do no better than quote the reply given by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons who would naturally have the advice of experts competent in these matters before he made the statement which I now quote from Hansard, 7th of June, 1956. The Prime Minister said:

"These [tests] will take place during the first half of 1957 in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean. The explosions will take place far from any inhabited islands and the tests will be so arranged as to avoid danger to persons or property. The tests will be high air bursts which will not involve heavy fallout. All safety precautions will be taken in the light of our knowledge and of experience gained from the tests of other countries."

On 1st April, 1957, the Prime Minister stated:

"So far as our own tests are concerned, I have been asked to say that there will be no perceptible radiation outside the test area. This is my answer. I am satisfied that from the medical and biological point of view that the radiation effects of this explosion will be insignificant."

And on 2nd April, 1957, the Prime Minister said:

"Provided that the nuclear explosion takes place in areas remote from populated territories and an adequate danger area is declared for the period of the tests, any localised deposit of radio-active matter so diffused by the normal dispersal action of currents and winds as well as by the natural decay of the bulk of radio-activity emanating from the explosion, any possible danger to human health is negligible. Radio-active contamination of fish, marine plants and sea-weed can occur, only in the immediate vicinity of the explosion. The chances of any contamination going outside the danger area or continuing after the termination of the danger period is negligible in the case of tests conducted by the United Kingdom. There should be no contamination of fish from the high air bursts proposed for our forthcoming tests."

Mr Marshall: The Minister has just come back from Japan, Sir. Is he aware of the deep anxiety of the millions of Japanese people in respect of these nuclear tests? Furthermore, Sir, I asked what effect on the food supply of Singapore will these tests have? Do we get fish from that area?

Mr Braga: I am quite aware of the anxiety of the Japanese in connection with these nuclear tests.

Mr Marshall: And they are fools!

Mr Braga: As regards the food supply, I have given the only answer that is possible in the circumstances.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: On a point of information, Sir. May I ask the Minister for Health what qualifications the Prime Minister of Great Britain has to make these weighty statements?

Mr Marshall: He is our boss.

Mr Speaker: Order.

Mr Braga: As I said, Mr Speaker, I am confident that the Prime Minister was sufficiently briefed by men more competent to deal with the subject.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Is the Minister for Health in the confidence of the Prime Minister of Great Britain as to who his advisers are?

Mr R. Jumabhoy: What is the population of this island, and is it coloured or white?