§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research he has(a) initiated and (b) evaluated on the effects of depleted uranium on British (i) service personnel and (ii) civilians; and if he will make a statement. [138794]
§ Mr. CaplinWe are currently initiating research to provide an understanding of the extent of any depleted uranium intake by United Kingdom ground forces during Operation TELIC.
In accordance with the Biological Monitoring Policy for DU on Operations all regular and reservist service personnel and attached civilians who deployed on Operation TELIC are entitled to a urine test on their return if they wish. To provide a baseline for comparison we have asked the Institute of Occupation Medicine in Edinburgh to carry out a study to establish normative values for uranium and its isotopes in urine of a military population which did not deploy.
The Ministry of Defence is currently placing contracts for the collection and analysis of urine samples for the voluntary screening programme for DU for veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf Conflict and service in the Balkans. In the event that DU is detected, any links between DU exposure and ill health will be investigated by means of an epidemiological study. A study to establish normative values for uranium and its isotopes in urine in a United Kingdom civilian population is also being commissioned.