Anthrax (Hansard, 7 July 1998)

§ Dr. Reid

[holding answer 26 February 1998]: A small number of Service personnel and MOD civilians will have received anthrax vaccinations either in connection with research into protection against biological weapons being undertaken at CBD Porton Down and its predecessors, 448W or in connection with arms control activities. Details of vaccinations received by Service and other MOD personnel are normally held only on individual medical records and not recorded centrally.

Many Service personnel and MOD civilians who took part in the Gulf conflict are likely to have commenced a programme of immunisation against anthrax in early 1991. Records relating to this vaccination programme are incomplete. So far as MOD is aware, none of these personnel would have completed a full course of immunisation, because operations concluded before the fourth dose of vaccine would have been scheduled.

On 3 March this year, the Ministry of Defence announced that UK Service personnel and MOD civilians posted to the Gulf region were being offered immunisation against anthrax. Arrangements have been made for the uptake of anthrax vaccine under this programme to be reported centrally. So far an estimated 3,879 UK Service and MOD personnel have been offered immunisation and 1,428 are recorded as having commenced a course of anthrax vaccinations. This figure comprises 384 Royal Navy personnel, 46 Royal Fleet Auxiliary, 144 Army personnel, 847 RAF personnel and 7 MOD civilians. This amounts to 0.85 per cent. of all Royal Navy personnel, 0.13 per cent. of all Army personnel, 1.49 per cent. of all RAF personnel and 0.05 per cent. of all MOD civilians, including those in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Individuals who have chosen to be immunised will not receive the fourth dose of vaccine, and thereby complete the current programme, until November this year at the earliest.