HC Deb 16 March 1995 vol 256 cc709-13W
Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of research on the nerve agent GB at the nerve agent plant at Nancekuke, Cornwall; what quantities of nerve agent GB were used at this research; when the results of this research were shared with other countries; and under which defence agreements these results were exchanged.

Mr. Soames

This is a matter for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. 1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what was the purpose of research on the nerve agent GB at the nerve agent plant at Nancekuke, Cornwall; what quantities of nerve agent GB were used at this research; when the results of this research were shared with other countries; and under which Defence Agreements these results were exchanged, 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 threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.
  3. 3. The research work carried out at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Nancekuke involving the nerve agent GB focused on the following:
    1. (a) Developing a specification for the materials used in the preparation process.
    2. (b) To study the impurities and by-products found in the GB product.
    3. (c) To examine alternative preparation processes and to compare the differences in the GB product.
    4. (d) To study the amount of GB in the by-products from the preparations.
    5. (e) To investigate the storage of GB.
    6. (f) To study the corrosion properties of materials used in the construction of the GB preparation facility.
  4. 4. During the period 1951–1956 some 20 tonnes of GB were produced. Most of this was used in the storage studies and then subsequently destroyed.
  5. 5. After 1956 some research on the stability of GB continued until 1979 when the Chemical Defence Establishment at Nancekuke closed. The results of the research and studies into GB were part of the chemical and biological defence programme and would have formed part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with the United States, Australia and Canada under the Technical Cooperation Programme and its predecessors and with the United States and Canada under the Memorandum of Understanding on Chemical and Biological Defence.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, column 888, what was the conclusion of the studies to find out if it was easier to produce the nerve agent GE than the nerve agent GB; in which years these studies were carried out; and when the results of these studies were exchanged with Canada and the United States of America under the tripartite conferences on toxicological warfare.

Mr. Soames

This is a matter for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. 1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 3 February, Official Report, column 888, what was the conclusion of the studies to find out if it was easier to produce the nerve agent GE than the nerve agent GB; in which years these studies were carried out; and when the results of these studies were exchanged with Canada and the United States of America under the Tripartite Conferences on Toxicological Warfare, 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 threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.
  3. 3. The studies to determine whether it was easier to produce the nerve agent GE rather than the nerve agent GB confirmed that this was not the case. Earlier studies had suggested that the phosphorus intermediate ethyl derivative was simpler to synthesise but when alternative processes were explored it was found that the primary intermediates for GB (methylphosphonic difluoride and methylphosphonic dichloride) could be more readily produced.
  4. 4. These studies took place during the late 1940s and early 1950s and the exchange of this data with the USA and Canada under the Tripartite Conferences would have taken place during this period.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the names of the experiments carried out by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment on service volunteers with the incapacitating agent BZ since 1965; in which years each of these experiments took place; how many service volunteers were involved; what was the nature of these experiments; what were the conclusions of these studies; and what follow-up checks were conducted on these service volunteers in the years after they left Porton Down to monitor the long-term effect of the experiments on their mental and physical health.

Mr. Soames

This matter is for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter front Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995.

  1. 1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what were the names of the experiments carried out by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment on Service volunteers with the incapacitating agent BZ since 1965; in which years each of these experiments took place; how many Service volunteers were involved; what was the nature of these experiments; what were the conclusions of these studies; and what follow-up checks were conducted on these Service volunteers in the years after they left Porton Down to monitor the long-term effect of the experiments on their mental and physical health, 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 threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. This work includes the evaluation of the potential hazard of possible agents such as the incapacitating agent BZ.
  3. 3. Studies involving Service volunteers and BZ since 1965 were not given a specific operational name. Our records indicate that 4 Service volunteers were given BZ between 1965 and 1967. No studies involving Service volunteers have taken place since 1967.
  4. 4. The purpose of the studies was to assess the effects of a potential agent which might affect the volunteers' behaviour. The conclusion of the evaluation of BZ was that it could affect the behaviour of Service personnel and as such presented a potential hazard which should not be ignored in considering the potential hazards to which UK Forces might be exposed.
    5. 711
  5. 5. The volunteers were examined before and after the tests by the resident Army psychiatrist and no indication of any continuing effect was observed. There have been no reports of any subsequent sequelae from any of the volunteers.

Service volunteers return to their units on completion of the study, where they are, medically, the responsibility of the unit Medical Officer. There is no history of Service doctors in their units seeking advice from CBDE Porton Down on any subsequent illnesses that may have been reported by volunteers who have been exposed to agent during studies at CBDE.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 3 February,Official Report, columns 887–88, in which scientific journals the results of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment's studies on nerve agent pre-treatment sets were published; when NAPS was first issued for use by the armed forces; in which years the results of these studies were exchanged with other countries; and under which defence agreement these results were shared.

Mr. Soames

This is a matter for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. 1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 3 February, Official Report, columns 887–8, in which scientific journals the results of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment's studies on NAPS were published; when NAPS was first issued for use by the Armed Forces; in which years the results of these studies were exchanged with other countries; and under which Defence Agreement these results were shared, 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 ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them.
  3. 3. Our records indicate that the results of our studies on NAPS were published in the following scientific journals:
    1. a. Fundamentals of Applied Toxicology.
    2. b. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
    3. c. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.
  4. 4. NAPS was first issued for use by the Armed Forces following its acceptance into service in August 1981.
  5. 5. The results of this work were part of the chemical and biological defence programme and have formed part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with our Allies under the agreements covering research, development, deployment and standardisation of chemical and biological defence equipment such as those listed by the Rt Hon Archie Hamilton in his reply of 21 May 1992, Official Report, column 255–256.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been carried out on the nerve agent VX at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down since the closure of the nerve agent plant at Nancekuke; what quantity of the nerve agent VX has been used in this research at Porton Down; when the results of this research were exchanged with other countries; and under which defence agreements these results were exchanged.

Mr. Freeman

This is a matter for the chief executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment. I have therefore asked him to reply.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. 1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what research has been carried out on the nerve 712 agent VX at the Chemical and Biological Establishment at Porton Down since the closure of the nerve agent plant at Nancekuke; what quantity of the nerve agent VX has been used in this research at Porton Down; when the results of this research were exchanged with other countries; and under which Defence Agreements these results were exchanged, 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 threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.
  3. 3. Since the closure of the Chemical Defence Establishment at Nancekuke in 1980 research on VX has covered all aspects concerned with the provision of effective protective measures against the threat that VX might be used by an aggressor against the UK Armed Forces. This has included hazard assessment, detection and identification, physical protection, contamination control and the use of prophylactic and medical countermeasures. Our records are not maintained in such a way as to readily identify the quantity of VX used since 1980. However, the quantity of VX used in research at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment from 1985 to the present day is about 1.25 Kgs.
  4. 4. The results of this work were part of the chemical biological defence programme and have formed part of the technical database drawn upon in collaboration with our allies under the agreements covering research, development, deployment and standardisation of chemical and biological defence equipment such as those listed by the right hon. Archie Hamilton in his reply of 21 May 1992, Official Report, columns 255-256.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 1994,Official Report, columns 1176-77, why the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment felt it necessary to carry out further studies on the nerve agent pretreatment set at the Cambridge military hospital in 1993.

Mr. Soames

This matter is for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 March 1995:

  1. 1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer of 20 December, Official Report, columns 1176–7, why the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment felt it necessary to carry out further studies on the Nerve Agent Pretreatment Set at the Cambridge Military Hospital in 1993, 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 ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use Service volunteers to:
    1. a. assess the ability of Service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,
    2. b. develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and,
    3. c. evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians. 3. The Nerve Agent Pretreatment Set (NAPS) was developed in response to a requirement which called for a pretreatment effective against poisoning by all known nerve agents. A number of studies were conducted by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to identify the effective oral dose regime which used in conjunction with therapy would provide protection against nerve agent poisoning whilst producing minimal or nil side effects. 4. The administration of NAPS during the Gulf conflict of 1990/91 confirmed the results of the NAPS studies previously carried out at CBDE and in various external trials in that the side effects from the taking of NAPS were minimal and did not interfere with military efficiency. However, the MOD considered that a further more extensive study should take place at the Cambridge Military Hospital in order to assess the significance of the side effects from the taking of NAPS over a longer period. The study lasted for eight weeks. The conclusions of the study confirm the earlier findings in that the side effects from the taking of NAPS were minimal and did not interfere with military efficiency.

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