Desert Fever (Hansard, 20 July 1993)

§ 2. Mr. Enright
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investigations he has undertaken into the incidence of desert fever.

§ The Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr. Jeremy Hanley)
There is to date no clincial evidence in the United Kingdom that the alleged complaint known as desert fever or Desert Storm syndrome exists as a separate medical condition. Statistics compiled by the Ministry show that, since the Gulf conflict, there has been no overall increase among serving service personnel in the incidence of the type of diverse symptons that are alleged to make up the syndrome. My Department will continue to investigate any information that is provided and to monitor all evidence bearing on the situation.

§ Mr. Enright
I am extremely grateful for that answer. The Minister will be aware that the United Nations Environment Programme and the United States Congress are extremely keen to monitor the results of depleted uranium shells that were left after the Gulf war. Will he give an unequivocal assurance that he will support on-site inspections by United Nations scientists and ignore the mealy-mouthed words of the Ministry's civil servants?

§ Mr. Hanley
The hon. Gentleman's last few words serve neither him nor this issue well. This is a serious issue. We are trying to gather all the facts and information because we have an interest in all our personnel. It is in our interests that our serving forces and those who have left them are fit and well and stand no extra risk because of their experience. We will, therefore, co-operate with any investigations to try to ensure that there is not the risk that the hon. Gentleman perhaps believes there is.

§ Mr. Ashby
Will my hon. Friend confirm that spent uranium shells were used by the United States, and did the British Government know that they were being used?

§ Mr. Hanley
I can confirm that the United Kingdom used depleted uranium shells. We fired some 88 such shells during the conflict. The United States also fired depleted uranium shells, but perhaps I should say to my hon. Friend and the House that we use such sophisticated and effective ordnance if it is intended to save our lives. This ordnance is extremely effective and it gets through the toughest armour. Our lives were saved because of its use.

§ Dr. David Clark
Will the Minister take this opportunity to apologise to service personnel who fought in the Gulf, but who were not provided with proper advice on the health and safety risks of depleted uranium? Following the admission in his letter of 13 July, will he come completely clean and set up an investigation into Desert Storm syndrome along the lines of that set up by the United States military authorities?

§ Mr. Hanley
We have been open and honest throughout. I answered a question on the basis of the information that was given to me, and in all good faith. The following day, I discovered that the leaflet had not gone as far afield as I was told. I immediately gave the extra information to Members who had written to me. We were not forced into this. There has never been a cover-up. There has been a genuine search for information so that we can help people who might be suffering from what is suspected by certain newspapers and certain television programmes. All those who served in the Gulf who were most at risk—those who collected ordnance and those who packed the shells to bring them home because so few were used by us—were told of the risks, but, in the heat of battle, tank crews were not given the instructions, for the simple reason that time was tight. They had to use the shells to save their lives, and the risk was infinitesimal.