HL Deb 18 October 1994 vol 558 cc4-5WA
Lord Molloy

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will conduct medical examinations of those troops who served in the Gulf War to test for the possible effects of chemical weapons.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Henley)

There is no evidence that chemical weapons were used in the Gulf War. Had they been used their effects would have been early, severe and unmistakable. The Government have repeatedly urged Gulf War veterans who are concerned that their health has suffered as a result of their Gulf service to see their general practitioners and ask to be referred to the Armed Forces medical services for assessment by a military specialist. The diagnostic investigations employed in these assessments are tailored to the requirements of each patient after considering their medical history, reported symptoms and clinical signs. Further specialist investigations are, and will continue to be, potentially available to help determine whether a patient might be suffering from long term very low level contamination from chemical agents, although the tests are of limited reliability. To date however the assessments have produced no evidence which would require such specialist investigation.