House of Lords written question – answered at on 5 January 2010.
The Countess of Mar
Crossbench
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the Rule 43 report of HM Coroner for the Black Country District of 18 September in the case of Stuart Raymond Dyson deceased; and what action they propose to prevent further deaths from ingestion of, or exposure to, depleted uranium by military and civilian personnel in areas of conflict.
Baroness Taylor of Bolton
Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Defence and Security) (also in the Ministry of Defence), Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (International Defence and Security) (also in Foreign and Commonwealth Office)
I will place a copy of the department's response to the Coroner for the Black Country District's Rule 43 report in the Library of the House.
In line with reports by independent expert bodies including the Royal Society, International Atomic Energy Agency and World Health Organisation it is the Government's view that depleted uranium (DU) is both weakly radioactive and chemically toxic to about the same extent as lead.
In relation to the use of DU munitions we base our risk assessments on the best available scientific advice and routinely monitor developments in the scientific literature.
Yes0 people think so
No3 people think not
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