MoD withheld information about nuclear test veterans’ records, ex-minister claims

Former Defense Minister Accuses Ministry of Defence in Withholding Nuclear Test Veterans’ Medical Records

Former veterans minister Tobias Ellwood has accused the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of systematically withholding the medical records of Cold War veterans who participated in nuclear test programmes, describing the action as a blatant cover‑up.

Ellwood told BBC Newsnight that he now views much of the information supplied to Parliament regarding the United Kingdom’s nuclear programme—drawn from MoD briefings—as completely false.

Veterans have been fighting for release of their medical histories, insisting that blood and urine analysis could demonstrate that nuclear exposure caused lasting health damage.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson stated that the government carried out an extensive records‑discovery exercise to address long‑standing questions and that the full findings have been published.

Between 1952 and 1967, up to 25,000 members of the UK armed forces, scientists and civilians took part in the country’s nuclear testing programme at locations ranging from Australia to various Pacific islands.

These veterans allege that the detonations inflicted severe, life‑long ailments, listing cancers of the liver, bones, gut, skin and nervous system, leukaemia, cardiovascular disease, stillbirths and generational birth defects resulting from their exposure.

Ellwood, who served as junior defence minister from June 2017 to July 2019, asserted that senior officials had repeatedly been briefed to claim there was no evidentiary support for assisting nuclear test veterans, even though thousands of related documents remain classified.

He warned that the information was “deliberately concealed” and sought to delay publication, targeting surviving veterans alike.

“Examining this story reveals how murky, shadowy and increasingly alarming it becomes,” Ellwood informed Newsnight, declaring the episode far worse than earlier notorious cases such as the infected blood scandal, the Windrush saga and the Post Office affair because of its scale and breadth.

Asking for an independent tribunal, Ellwood questioned why the MoD resisted sharing the data, suggesting the authority labelled findings non‑existent while having refused cooperation with key veterans.

In 2024 the department announced a comprehensive review of any material it possessed on the subject and has since released five in‑depth reports.

The analyses highlighted numerous obstacles to record management, namely the lack of a centralised archiving strategy and pervasive Cold War secrecy.

Ellwood acknowledged that some files would ultimately be handed to the National Archives, yet stressed that heavy redaction would be applied for declassification—a measure that leaves the veterans still furious.

The ministry remarked that tens of thousands of documents were examined to address lingering questions among veterans about blood and urine testing practices throughout the nuclear era.

All these publications were released in full following sustained dialogue with ministers, affected veterans and community organisations during the investigation.

“We owe a lasting debt of gratitude to the more than 22,000 service personnel, scientists and civilians who contributed to the UK’s nuclear testing programme and helped secure our nation’s security,” the spokesperson commented.

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