§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) UK military personnel and (b) UK defence industry employees have been (i) confirmed as suffering from and (ii) suspected of suffering from depleted uranium poisoning, in each year from 1980 to 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [22317]
§ Dr. MoonieAlthough a number of people may suspect that they are suffering from ill health as a result of exposure to depleted uranium, including personnel in the Gulf and Balkans campaign, I am unaware of any individual who has been confirmed as suffering from ill health arising from exposure to DU over the period 1980 to 2001–02.
§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the health risks associated with material containing depleted uranium in the last 10 years; if he will publish the results; and if he will make a statement. [22315]
§ Dr. MoonieI refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 25 January 2001,Official Report, column 653W, by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Vernon Coaker), in which the Ministry of Defence published a paper that explained the MOD's position on the risks posed by depleted uranium (DU). This paper included reference to the MOD's earlier paper published on 19 March 1999, entitled "Testing for the Presence of Depleted Uranium in UK Veterans of the Gulf Conflict the Current Position". Copies of both papers are available in the Library of the House and on the MOD's website at www.gulfwar.mod.uk.
I also refer the hon. Member to my letter of 24 March (reference: D/US of S/LM 0291L/01/1) to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew), which includes the review paper "Depleted Uranium—Safety Guidance to UK Armed Forces and MOD Civilians"; and my letter of 17 April (reference: D/US of S/LM PQ 0346L/01/M), to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley), which discusses and lists risk assessments associated with DU. I also refer the hon. Member to my letter of 7 June 2001 (reference: D/US of S/LM PQ 0679L/01/Y) to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Llew Smith), which lists reports on depleted uranium commissioned by the MOD from DERA and contains some additional relevant material. All three letters are available in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investigations his Department has made in the last 10 years into whether(a) UK military personnel and 972W (b) employees within the defence industries of the United Kingdom, have suffered from (i) depleted uranium poisoning and (ii) other medical conditions caused by exposure to depleted uranium; and if he will make a statement. [22316]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Ministry of Defence is funding a programme designed to establish whether a scientifically rigorous test can be developed to determine historical exposures to depleted uranium (DU). Given such a test is developed, epidemiological studies will be undertaken to establish whether there is any correlation between ill-health and exposure to DU. As part of the MOD's Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme, which has so far seen over 3,000 service personnel and a small number of defence industry employees who served in the Gulf, a very small number of tests for total uranium have been carried out in cases where physicians believed that such tests would assist in treatment of their patients. All these tests showed that the signs and symptoms displayed by these patients were not due to any form of uranium exposure. In the early 1990s, a small number of UK troops concerned they had inhaled DU dust while conducting work in the Gulf conflict had their lungs monitored—no detectable DU contamination was found.
There are established systems within the United Kingdom for monitoring the health and safety of those who are exposed to depleted uranium as part of their work activities. These systems are, and always have been, employed throughout the MOD and involve monitoring of personnel and the working environment. Some individuals also receive annual health reviews. These measures ensure that exposures to depleted uranium are as low as reasonably practicable and do not exceed statutory limits. Therefore there is no reason for investigations of the type mentioned for these employees.
Other than those mentioned above, the health of those employed within defence industries is a matter for the employers concerned and for the Health and Safety Executive.