British Nuclear Test Veterans Multi-Party Action

EDM number 929 in 2004-05, proposed by Edward O'Hara on 15/03/2005.

That this House notes that the Legal Services Commission in June 2002 granted limited funding to two firms of solicitors to undertake preliminary investigations to enable them to prepare a multi-party action on behalf of the British nuclear test veterans and veterans of other nationalities, and that in October 2004 the Legal Services Commission, having made a preliminary assessment of the multi-party action, sought further information from the solicitors; is concerned about the protraction of these proceedings; notes that on 23rd December 2004, in order to safeguard the veterans' legal right to pursue the case, proceedings were brought to the court's attention and that the court now requires that these issued proceedings be served upon the Ministry of Defence within four months of that date, that is by 23rd April; and therefore urges the Legal Services Commission, within this timeframe, to reach a final decision on funding and one which will enable the veterans to pursue their action.

This motion has been signed by a total of 46 MPs.