§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the cost of the anti-botulism toxin vaccine serum produced from October 1990 for use in the Gulf war, mentioned in the memorandum prepared by his Department issued in support of the ministerial statement on Gulf war illness on 10 December,Official Report, columns 119–23; [9632]
(2) what quality control was applied to the purchase of propoxur and bendiocarb-based pesticides from suppliers in Riyadh in January 1991; [9595]
(3) what was the cost of the anthrax vaccine ordered from the public health laboratory service in August 1990, to which reference is made in his Department's memorandum released in support of the statement made on Gulf war illness on 10 December, Official Report, columns 119–23. [9637]
§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral statement by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces of 10 DecemberOfficial Report, column 120, on Gulf war syndrome, what steps he has taken to assist Professor Nicola Cherry and Dr. Patricia Doyle to visit Iraq in order to meet Dr. Mubarrak, Minister of Health. [9429]
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will include in the investigation being conducted by his Department's permanent under-secretary into the misleading of the House on the issue of organophosphate pesticide use the conclusions of the inquiry conducted by his Department's security official Mr. A. G. Rucker into the alleged theft of Gulf war syndrome documents, as reported to him by the hon. Member for South Shields in November 1995; [9727]
(2) how many of the Gulf war veterans examined by the medical assessment programme have been found to be suffering from (i) kidney and liver damage, (ii) lung complications, (iii) osteoporosis, and (iv) neurological damage; [9723]
(3) pursuant to his oral statement of 10 December, Official Report, column 121, on how many occasions information was provided in background material to parliamentary answers on the possible local purchase of organophosphate pesticides between October 1995 and September 1996; [9725]
(4) how many medical records of those in his Department serving in the Gulf war are currently missing; and if he will make a statement on the steps being taken to recover them; [9722]
(5) if he will name the staff undertaking clinical work for his Department as part of the medical assessment programme. [9724]
§ Mr. SoamesI will write to the hon. Members and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Dr. ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the terms of reference of the investigation being conducted by his Department's permanent under-secretary into the misleading of the House on the issue of organophosphate pesticide use during the Gulf war; and who will assist the permanent under-secretary in his investigation. [9719]
631W
§ Mr. SoamesThe terms of reference of the investigation being conducted by my Department are to establish why proper and timely advice on the subject of organophosphate pesticide use during the Gulf war was not provided to MOD Ministers between July 1994 and September 1996. The permanent under-secretary will be assisted principally by members of the organophosphate pesticide investigation team.
§ Dr. ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of the inquiry which is being set in hand by his Department into the misleading of the House on the issue of organophosphate pesticide use during the Gulf war. [9721]
§ Mr. SoamesThe investigation within my Department into the failures in providing proper and timely advice to Ministers about organophosphate pesticide use during the Gulf war is expected to be completed by February 1997. The findings of the investigation will be made available to the House at the earliest opportunity.
§ Dr. ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many parliamentary questions his Department answered between October 1995 and September 1996 on the use of organophosphate pesticides during the Gulf war. [9726]
§ Mr. SoamesBetween October 1995 and September 1996 one parliamentary question was answered by my Department on the use of organophosphate pesticides during the Gulf war. This question was answered on 30 October 1995.
§ Dr. ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the investigation being conducted by his Department into the misleading of the House on the issue of organophosphate pesticide use during the Gulf war has commenced; and when he expects to report its findings to the House. [9720]
§ Mr. SoamesThe investigation within my Department into the failures in providing proper and timely advice to Ministers about organophosphate pesticide use during the Gulf war commenced on 16 December 1996. I expect to be able to report the findings of the investigation to the House by February 1997.