Why nuclear veterans' war pensions are denied. Part One

Many nuclear veterans have been denied war pensions, in a document obtained by LABRATS, we look at the Adjudication Guidance.

The Veterans Agency Adjudication Guidance is a 186-page document giving guidance for the Veterans Agency and providing reasoning for not approving war pension claims. Interestingly enough, nuclear veterans appear 60 times in this document.

In the first statement, the MoD seems to have lost 1,000 personnel from the 22,000 always quoted!

Genetic Damage is also mentioned:

So if you are infertile after the tests, no war pension will be given.

The Secretary of States Policy is clearly defined:

Yet despite Item 7 above saying 40 years +, leukemia is only within 25 years.

As we go through the report, we seem to have increased the numbers from 21,000 to 27,000. More inaccuracies.

As per usual, the UK Government rely on the NRPB study:

Yet the last line says it all, 'There is no requirement for presence at the actual detonations', so the study was watered down to anyone who went to these locations, not those who witnessed a detonation.

No awards for solid cancers, unless there is sufficient evidence, yet the MoD state they do not have the evidence, no dosimeter readings, so how can you ever prove your cancer was attributable. The system is stacked against the claimant.

If you are claiming for a child, there has not been a study and it will not fall within the scope.

There is evidence that ionising radiation can cause cancer:

But because everyone is exposed and not everyone develops cancer other factors must be taken into account.

There is however a risk. But we need the dosimetry information of the individual's exposure, which doesn't exist as many men did not have dosimeters.

So unless you have your dosimeter readings, the UK Government will not accept the evidence of participation in nuclear tests as proof.

However, the MoD accept that there are some personnel who were exposed:

The document states that all UK detonations, produced yields at or close to the design figure, despite Penny's document telling ministers that the yield could be plus or minus 40%!

Conclusion

So to claim, you need a dosimeter reading, but not everyone had one, so if you don't have one or cannot prove your participation, then how can you claim? Leo Docherty described the UK as 'The best place in the world to be a Veteran', I wonder if he has ever read this document. The USA implemented the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, yet the UK still denies any responsibility, despite paying compensation to Australia. Delay, Deny until we die. More in Part Two.