THE new Defence Minister responsible for the welfare of soldiers has promised to take a second look at whether veterans of Britain's nuclear tests should get compensation.

Former soldiers – including those from Derbyshire – say they have suffered years of health problems after they were stationed at nuclear test sites in the Pacific and Australia during the 1950s.

They have been fighting in the courts to get compensation from the Ministry of Defence but officials have so far refused to accept the Government bares any responsibility for their problems.

But new Defence Minister Andrew Robathan – who will oversee the MoD's Welfare and Veterans portfolio – said the issue should be looked at again.

"I have no doubt that we will be taking another close look at this issue," he said. "These are people who were acting in the service of their country and it appears that in those times there was a fairly cavalier attitude towards the dangers they faced.

"In the near future, my colleagues and I will be taking into account the scientific and medical evidence in deciding where we go from here."

More than 1,000 ex-service personnel in the UK and their families, have fought a legal campaign for compensation based on claims they were made ill, often fatally, by radioactive fallout exposure.

Last year, the courts ruled that the veterans did have the right to take their case through the legal system, but the MoD has launched an appeal against that decision.

The appeal hearings began shortly after the General Election on May 6 and are now on-going at London's Civil Appeal Court.

Last week, they coincided with Prime Minister David Cameron's announcement that Mr Robathan would be appointed to a role at the MoD.

He is the first politician with military experience to hold a position at the department in over a decade, having served in the armed forces for some 18 years.

The MP served in the iconic Coldstream Guards and saw action as an officer in the SAS – where he took command of a troop for two years.

Mr Robathan has claimed that Labour failed to protect armed forces personnel and has already pledged to be a minister that would "stand up" for soldiers past and present.

But news of Mr Robathan's appointment still did not inspire hope of a speedy and favourable conclusion to the case among the veterans.

Archie Ross, of Castle Gresley, claims his brief exposure to radiation on Christmas Island impacted on his own health, that of his daughter, Julie and his young grandson.

He said: "After 50 years of battling it would need something very big to happen for me to suddenly think things were going to change."

Mr Ross pointed out that other Governments across the world, including Australia, had paid compensation to their soldiers affected by radiation. The Australian Government announced a £22m compensation package just over a week ago.

Mr Ross added: "It's disgusting what has happened. I will just say this – David Cameron has pledged to clean up the House of Commons and the same needs to take place at the Ministry of Defence.

"They need to clean their act up so that the right thing can be done by people that have been exposed to radiation."