HC Deb 18 July 1995 vol 263 cc1169-72W
Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where the regard and small change experiments involving service volunteers and LSD took place. [35106]

Mr. Soames

This matter is for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, DERA, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Dr. David Clark, dated 18 July 1995: Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking where the Regard and Small Change studies took place has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which now includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) as one of its Divisions. There has been no study named Regard involving Service Volunteers and LSD carried out by CBDE. There was, however, a study with LSD called Recount. That and study Small Change took place on the trials range at CBDE Porton Down. I hope this information is helpful.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of reports and laboratory data outlining the results of experiments in respect of the projects(a) Moneybags, (b) Recount and (c) Small Change carried out at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment Porton Down on service personnel; and if he will make a statement. [34852]

Mr. Soames

This matter is for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, DERA, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Dr. David Clark, dated 18 July 1995: Your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking if he will place the reports of the studies called Moneybags, Small Change and Recount in the House of Commons Library has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which now includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) as one of its Divisions. The use of LSD in studies with Service Volunteers has been public knowledge for decades and a film of Operation Moneybags was shown to the media and public during the Open Days held in 1969. Newspapers on 12 June 1969 carried detailed stories on the LSD trials and, more recently, replies to parliamentary questions have provided a great deal of information. The reports of the actual studies themselves are, however, well over 10 years old. It is not clear at the moment, and in the time available, whether the contents of them can now be released. I will look into this and write to you again. I hope this information is helpful.

Dr. Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if service volunteers taking part in experiments at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment Porton Down called(a) Moneybags, (b) Recount and (c) Small Change were specifically told that they were to be given LSD; and in what terms they were advised of the possible (i) long-term and (ii) short-term effects of LSD. [34853]

Mr. Soames

This matter is for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, DERA, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Dr. David Clark, dated 18 July 1995:

Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking if Service Volunteers involved in the studies using LSD were informed that they would be exposed to LSD and given indications of its long and short term effects has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which now includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) as one of its Divisions.The purpose of the Moneybags, Small Change and Recount trials was to identify the effects of the drug LSD on behaviour in military operations. The Volunteers were briefed prior to the study as to the nature of the drug which would be administered. They were also informed that some of them would be given a placebo rather than the active drug so as to provide controls for the investigation. Prior to the study the Volunteers were not told specifically which individuals would have the drug rather than the placebo as this would have negated the validity of the study. After the exercise was completed the individuals were told whether they had had the drug or placebo administered.The short term effects of the administered LSD were not suggested to the Volunteers prior to their exposure because of the risk that their response would be modified to meet the expected effects. No long term effects for single or low doses of LSD had been identified in clinical medicine and there were no possible effects to advise on.I hope this information is helpful.
Dr. Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long the service volunteers involved in the Moneybags experiments who were given 200 micrograms of LSD were affected by the dose. [34854]

Mr. Soames

This matter is for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, DERA, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Dr. David Clark, dated 18 July 1995:

Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking how long Service Volunteers involved in the Moneybags experiments were affected by the dose of LSD they had been exposed to has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which now includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) as one of its Divisions.

All the Volunteers who were exposed to LSD had fully recovered from the effects of the drug within 24 hours of their exposure.

I hope this information is helpful.

Dr. Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who decided the amounts of LSD given to volunteers at the Chemical and Biological Establishments at Porton Down; if permission at ministerial level was required for the amounts and the experiments; and if he will make a statement. [35105]

Mr. Soames

This matter is for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, DERA, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Dr. David Clark, dated 18 July 1995:

Your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking who decided on the amount of LSD given to volunteers and if permission at Ministerial level was required to conduct this work has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which now includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) as one of its Divisions.Prior to beginning any programmes of work with Service Volunteers a review of the proposed study is conducted to assess the military requirement and the acceptability of the procedures. Since 1991 this reviewing role has been fulfilled by an Independent Ethics Committee but prior to this date a Committee of medical practitioners from the then Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down, known as the Committee on the Safety of Human Experiments (COSHE), carried out this function. The protocols approved by this Committee were then considered by the ethical sub-group of the Medical Committee of the Defence Scientific Advisory Council which included independent experts.The studies involving the use of LSD with Service Volunteers began in the early 1960's and were completed in 1968. The studies would have been reviewed by COSHE. They would also have been approved by the then Director of the Establishment who had overall responsibility for the running of the Establishment. At this distance in time we are unable to say whether Ministers were involved in the detailed decisions on dosage levels but consider this unlikely.I am sorry that I could not be more helpful.
Dr. Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what experiments involving LSD and service volunteers other than Moneybags, Recount and Small Change were carried out at the Chemical and Biological Establishment at Porton Down. [35107]

Mr. Soames

This matter is for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, DERA, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Dr. David Clark, dated 18 July 1995:

Your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Defence what experiments involving LSD and Service Volunteers, other than Moneybags, Recount and Small Change, were carried out at CBDE has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency which now includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) as one of its Divisions.In addition to the studies mentioned above a small number of Volunteers were exposed to LSD under medical supervision in the establishment medical facilities. These studies, which have no generic name, were carried out between 1962 and 1968.I hope this information is helpful to you.
Dr. Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when was the last time that medical checks were carried out on the service volunteers who took part in tests and studies involving LSD at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down, to assess whether the tests had any long-term effect on the mental or physical health of the volunteers. [35101]

Mr. Soames

This matter is for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, DERA, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Dr. David Clark, dated 18 July 1995:

Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking when was the last time that service personnel involved in studies with LSD were medically checked to assess whether there were any long term effects on the mental and physical health of the volunteers has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) as one of its Divisions.The Service Volunteers were medically screened for their suitability prior to their participation in the studies involving LSD. All Volunteers are medically examined on completion of their attendance at CBDE and this included those who participated in the LSD studies. As published clinical studies had not identified long term effects with single, low doses of LSD, it was not therefore considered appropriate to recall Volunteers for further assessment.I hope this information is helpful.