§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many(a) officers and (b) other ranks have volunteered since 1965 to participate in experiments at Porton Down. [14330]
§ Mr. SoamesThis matter is for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE to write to the hon. Member.
Letter front Graham Pearson to Mr. Derek Fatchett, dated 20 March 1995:
Question 12, Order Paper 14 March 1995
- 1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks have volunteered since 1965 to participate in experiments at Porton
78 Down, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment. - 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:
- (a) assess the ability of Service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures.
- (b) develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel, and
- (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. Our records indicate that the number of officers and other ranks who have volunteered since 1965 to take part in studies at Porton Down is as follows:
Year Officers Other ranks Total 1965 17 129 146 1966 35 114 149 1967 44 200 244 1968 35 228 263 1969 47 134 181 1970 59 268 327 1971 57 168 225 1972 59 299 358 1973 63 201 264 1974 100 204 304 1975 41 96 137 1976 65 189 254 1977 37 80 117 1978 25 79 104 1979 37 116 153 1980 106 234 340 1981 61 242 303 1982 38 123 161 1983 36 141 177 1984 42 89 131 1985 52 129 181 1986 31 65 96 1987 29 64 93 1988 46 90 136 1989 31 79 110 1990 18 65 83 1991 9 41 50 1992 54 58 112 1993 23 41 64 1994 38 66 104