§ Mr. HuttonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will place in the Library details of all organisations and individuals who have made representations to his Department about the Desert Storm syndrome.
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§ Mr. HanleyApart from questions from various hon. Members, which are recorded in theOfficial Report, and letters from the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Enright), my hon. Friend the Member for Scarborough (Mr. Sykes), my right hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Mr. Jopling) and my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt), my Department has record of only eight written representa-tions to date concerning the alleged condition popularly known as Desert Storm syndrome. For reasons of confidentiality I am not able to provide names. There has additionally been recent media interest in this subject and other representations may be in the process of being made as a result.
§ Mr. HuttonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's assessment of the medical evidence related to the alleged Desert Storm syndrome.
§ Mr. HanleyThe wide variety of symptoms which are alleged to make up the condition popularly known as Desert Storm syndrome are prevalent within the general population. There is no evidence that the incidence of these symptoms in the services has increased since the Gulf conflict. There is nothing in the available medical evidence in the United Kingdom that would suggest that the symptoms described cannot be explained in conventional medical terms, but my Department is actively seeking further information and will continue to monitor the situation closely.