The Ministry of Defence has acknowledged that the medical records of nuclear test veterans were collected by a clandestine government facility. Approximately 50,000 physical files stored in a controlled environment at a warehouse were accumulated by researchers at Porton Down. Despite a two-year investigation into the disappearance of medical records for veterans involved in Cold War bomb tests, these files remain unexamined.
MP Rebecca Long-Bailey has emphasized the importance of determining the contents of these records and their relevance to the missing files sought by veterans for decades. A group of cross-party MPs has urged Defence Secretary Wes Streeting to prioritize the examination of this archive, as many British atomic test veterans have reported missing medical documentation.
In a recent revelation by the Mirror in 2022, it was uncovered that thousands of veterans had undergone blood, urine, and thyroid tests, along with chest x-rays, during their service at weapons trials, contrary to previous denials. A review conducted in 2024 failed to locate most records, suggesting that blood tests were either not conducted or destroyed. However, a warehouse in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, was identified to contain 50,000 paper records related to historic radiation exposure, including medical records of at least one atomic serviceman.
The archive, managed by a private contractor named Restore, originated from the Defence Science Technology Laboratory, commonly known as Porton Down. The digital version of these files is maintained by Defence Radiation Protection Services in Gosport, Hampshire. Despite the merger of DRPS with the Atomic Weapons Establishment, access to the records requires specific permissions from Defence Business Services, hindering the search process.
Veteran John Morris expressed frustration over the bureaucratic hurdles preventing access to his potential medical records within the archive. While the MoD acknowledged the contributions of individuals involved in the nuclear testing program, it stated that the review process had evaluated over 100,000 items and records without evidence of deliberate concealment.
Restore was approached for further comments on the matter.
