§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral answer of 28 November,Official Report, columns 1043-44, what assessment his Department has made of the analysis conducted by Professor Garth Nicholson of the university of Texas on the relationship between mycoplasmas and the group of medical complaints collectively referred to as Gulf war syndrome. [5675]
§ Mr. SoamesAs part of my Department's routine monitoring of research material relating to the alleged Gulf war syndrome, consideration has been given to Dr. Nicholson's paper titled "Summary of Persian Gulf War illness pilot study on mycoplasmic infections". It has been concluded, however, that Dr. Nicholson's study does not provide any substantial or conclusive evidence of a connection between illnesses among veterans, mycoplasma infections and service in the Gulf. We will continue to monitor all information hearing on this issue in conjunction with medical experts nominated by the Royal College of Physicians.