Body parts could have been removed without permission

The government is to investigate claims that nuclear workers who died in the 1960®s and 70®s may have had their body parts removed without consent.

The GMB union said that samples were taken from up to 70 former employees at Sellafield Cumbria.

British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL), which owns Sellafield, confirmed autopsy material had been used for legally correct purposes such as inquests.

The firm said it can prove instruction or consent for 61 out of 65 cases. For the remaining four cases, there is no record of instruction or consent on file, although this does not mean that appropriate requests were not made.

Trade and Industry Secretary, Alistair Darling is to make a statement to the House of Commons later.

Radiological analysis sampling began in the 1960s and stopped in 1992, according to BNFL.

The GMB claims tissue, bones and body parts may have been removed without permission during the tests.

National officer Gary Smith said that they need information from the company in order to clarify exactly what has happened.

Lawyers at Irwin Mitchell solicitors say more has to be done to get to the bottom of exactly what has happened at Sellafield and that the affected families have a right to know what happened to their loved ones.