HC Deb 19 July 1995 vol 263 cc1353-6W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what were the conclusions of the tests and studies conducted by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down, involving service volunteers to determine the degree of incapacitation following exposure to CR gas; and what was the nature of the exercise tests; [35080]

(2) pursuant to his answer of 24 February, Official Report, column 377, how much CR gas was produced at Nacekuke in total; [35083]

(3) pursuant to his answer of 24 February, Official Report, column 378, when the results of the physiological tests to determine the effects of CR gas on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems were first exchanged with the United States of America. [35079]

Mr. Soames

These matters are for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, DERA, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 19 July 1995: Your questions to the Secretary of State for Defence asking about the degree of incapacitation caused by agent CR, how much of the agent was produced, and whether results were shared with the USA, have been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which now includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) as one of its Divisions. This reply covers all three questions. Approximately two tonnes of CR were manufactured at the Chemical Defence Establishment Nancekuke, most of the production occurring in the mid 1970's. The tests which were carried out at CDE Potion Down with CR involving Service Volunteers concluded, as Dr Pearson informed you in his letter of 19 December 1994, that CR caused sensory irritation and was ten time more potent than CS. Exercise tests would have involved walking and stretching routines. As to date on which this information was exchanged with the United State of America I am afraid I can add no more of Dr Pearson's letter to you of 12 May 1993, a copy of which I attach for ease. I hope this information is helpful.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 December,Official Report, column 1175, in which years the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment carried out the work to reach the assessment that, with an appropriate stabiliser, there was little decomposition of GD over three years; what was the stabiliser in this case; and when the results of this work were first shared with the United States of America; [35078]

(2) what assessment the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has made of the shelf life of thickened GD; [35076]

(3) pursuant to his answer of 24 February, Official Report, column 377, in which years the work into the ease of acquisition of the precursors for GD was carried out; when the results of this research were first exchanged with the United States of America; and under which defence agreements these results were exchanged with the United States of America. [35075]

Mr. Soames

These matters are for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, DERA, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 19 July 1995: Your Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence about the acquisition of the precursors to nerve agent GD, the assessments made on its stability and shelf life have been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which now includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) as one of its Divisions. This reply covers all three questions. Work to determine the ease of acquisition of the precursors of synthesis of GD was carried out as part of the research into the synthesis of the agent. It is not possible to determine the exact date on which work on precursor acquisition was carried out but it is likely this type of information was available by 1954. The work you refer to on the stability of GD was carried out at Chemical Defence Establishment Nancekuke between 1965–1968 and the stabiliser used was diisopropylcarbodiimide. No long term studies have been made to assess the shelf life of thickened GD. Results of both of these programmes of work would have been shared as part of the continuing programme of information exchange and collaboration between the United States of America and the United Kingdom but specific dates for the exact time of exchange are now difficult to ascertain. I hope this information is helpful.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 February,Official Report, columns 378–79, when the results of the research into GF were first exchanged with the United States of America. [35077]

Mr. Soames

This matter is for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, DERA, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 19 July 1995: Your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking when the results of research into GF were first exchanged with the USA has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which now includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) as one of its Divisions From the records available it is difficult to determine the exact date on which results of the work were first communicated to the United States but the exchange of this type of information would appear to have begun in 1947. I hope this information is helpful.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what were the conclusions of the skin and eye sensitivity tests conducted by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down, involving CS gas and service volunteers; [35082]

(2) from what source the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment obtained the CS gas for its tests and studies involving service volunteers. [35081]

Mr. Soames

These matters are for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, DERA, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 19 July 1995:

Your questions to the Secretary of State for Defence asking about the tests into the skin and eye sensitivity of CS gas and the source of the CS have been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which now includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) as one of its Divisions. This reply covers both questions.The tests of eye and skin sensitivity conducted using Service Volunteers concluded that CS caused short term irritation to the sensory nerve endings giving rise to watering of the eyes and a burning or stinging sensation in the skin. The studies showed the value of CS as a non lethal gas for use in circumstances such as military training. The research quantities of CS used in these studies were manufactured at Chemical Defence Establishment, Nacekuke until shortly before its closure and then subsequently at CBDE Porton Down until 1990. Since 1990 CS has been manufactured by a commercial operator using the processes developed at CBDE.I hope this information is helpful.
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work has been carried out by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment into the sensory irritant agent bromobenzyl cyanide; when this work was carried out; where this work was carried out; what were the purpose and conclusions of this work; and if this work involved service volunteers. [35084]

Mr. Soames

This matter is for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, DERA, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 19 July 1995:

Your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking for information on the work carried out on the sensory irritant agent bromobenzyl cyanide (BBC) at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which includes CBDE as one of its Divisions.Studies involving the sensory irritant BBC were carried out between the First and Second World Wars at the Chemical Defence Establishments at Porton Down and Sutton Oak. Exposure of Service Volunteers to BBC would have been part of the research programme and the conclusions of the investigations were that BBC caused sensory irritation and would be a useful tear gas. As a result of this work BBC was employed as the standard in-service tear gas during World War II.