HC Deb 08 March 1995 vol 256 cc257-8W
Dr. David Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of LSD experiments called "Small Change" carried out at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down; in which years were the "Small Change" experiments conducted; how many service volunteers were tested under the "Small Change" experiments; what were the lowest and highest doses administered to service volunteers; what these volunteers were required to do under the "Small Change" experiments; how many animals were tested under the "Small Change" experiments and what types of animals were used; what was the conclusion of the "Small Change" experiments; with which countries the results of these experiments were shared; and under which defence agreement the results were shared with these countries.

Mr. Freeman

Responsibility for such matters rests with the chief executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment. I have therefore asked him to reply.

Letter from Graham S. Pearson to Dr. David Clark, dated 8 March 1995:

  1. 1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what was the purpose of LSD experiments called Small Change carried out at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down; in which years were the Small Change experiments conducted; how many Service volunteers were tested under the Small Change experiments; what were the lowest and highest doses administered to Service volunteers; what these volunteers were required to do under the Small Change experiments; how many animals were tested under the Small Change experiments and what types of animals were used; what was the conclusion of the Small Change experiments; with which countries the results of these experiments were shared; and under which defence agreement the results were shared with these countries has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
  2. 2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the treat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. As part of that programme, an evaluation is carried out of chemicals that may be utilised by an aggressor as a chemical warfare agent.
  3. 3. Small Change, which took place in 1968, was one in a series of studies carried out to assess the effect of LSD on troops in a military setting where the behaviour of those volunteers who had been given LSD could be compared with control volunteers who had not been given LSD. No animals were used in these studies. The principal aim of the study was to assess the effects on the overall efficiency of an infantry platoon in attack when half of its personnel had been dosed with 160 pg each of LSD. The study was to determine whether the presence of volunteers who had not received LSD would:
    1. a. Mitigate the effects of the drug on the military performance of the unit as a whole.
    2. b. Modify the response of the individual members of the unit to the drug.
  4. 4. Twenty eight volunteers participated in Small Change; fourteen received doses of 160 µg LSD in water. The volunteers were required to perform anti-terrorist sweeps as formed sections, each 258 sweep involving an advance over four kilometres and last about 2½ hours.
  5. 5. Small Change showed that the platoon did not discharge its functions as well as would normally be expected. Overall its performance was adequate but it would have sustained a higher number of casualties than might have reasonably been expected. Unit efficiency fell by about 10% and the role of good discipline and mutual support between drugged and undrugged soldiers in mitigating the drug effects were demonstrated.
  6. 6. The results from Small Change formed part of the technology database held by the Establishment in the area of evaluation of the potential hazard to Service personnel from possible chemical warfare agents. This information was drawn upon during the 1960s and 1970s in the agreements with our NATO allies to exchange information and so promote collaboration and cooperation in areas such as research and development in chemical and biological defence. The agreements at that time included:
    1. a. The Technical Cooperation Programme involving UK, US. Canada and Australia which had subsumed the earlier trilateral UK/US/Canada meetings.
    2. b. American, British, Canadian and Australian Armies (ABCA) agreement Quadripartite Working Group (QWG) on NBC defence.
    3. c. The NATO Panel VII on chemical and biological defence.

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