HC Deb 08 February 1996 vol 271 cc351-6W
Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what have been(a) the nature and (b) the period of the collaboration between the Porton Down Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment and the common cold unit at Harnham Down, Salisbury since 1966; [13000]

(2) what research the Porton Down Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has carried out into the common cold since 1966; and what were the conclusions of this research; [12998]

(3) what experiments in conjunction with the common cold unit in Salisbury volunteers from the service volunteer programme organised by the Porton Down Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment have taken part in since 1966; what was the purpose of these experiments; how many volunteers were involved in these experiments; and what were the conclusions of these experiments. [12999]

Mr. Arbuthnot

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

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 8 February 1996:

Your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what research the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has carried out on the common cold; about collaboration between CBDE and the Common Cold Unit at Harnham Down; and about which experiments volunteers from the Service volunteer programme and the Common Cold Unit worked in conjunction, have been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency which includes CBDE. I am answering all three questions in this letter.CBDE has never carried out research into the common cold. We understand that research on this subject was primarily undertaken by the Common Cold Unit at Harnham, Salisbury which is now closed. That unit was administered by the Medical Research Council and had no connection with CBDE. No collaborative work has been carried out between the two establishments and no experiments were conducted which involved the use of volunteers at CBDE in the work of the Common Cold Unit, nor did volunteers at the Common Cold Unit take part in studies at CBDE.I hope this information is helpful.
Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 January,Official Report, columns 528–30, if he will give the full title of each research contract and the university department involved for each of the contracts listed. [13105]

Mr. Arbuthnot

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

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 8 February 1996:

Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking if he will give the full title of each research contract and the university department involved for each of the contracts listed in my letter to you of 16 January has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency which includes the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

As stated in my letter of 16 January nineteen contractors in ten universities have agreed to make their contractual relationships know to the public. The full titles of the agreements and the department in which they are being conducted are given below.

  • University of Birmingham—three contracts
  • Gas Phase Ion Molecule Reactions—School of Physics and Space Science
  • Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents with Dendrimers—School of Chemistry
  • Identification of the Biological Composition of Ambient Aerosols—School of Biological Sciences
  • 353
  • University of Bristol—two contracts
  • Behaviour and Sleep patterns—Department of Psychopharmacology
  • Ocular Hazards from Microwaves—Department of Ophthalmology
  • University of Durham—one contract
  • Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study of Adsorption Processes—School of Chemistry
  • University of Hull—two contracts
  • Chemiluminescence Based Detection Systems for Liquid Chromatography—School of Chemistry
  • Development of Chemiluminescence Based Detection Systems for Organophosphorus Compounds—School of Chemistry
  • University of Leeds—one contract
  • Effect of Infusion Fluids on the Host Defence Mechanisms—School of Medicine
  • University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne—one contract
  • Synthesis and Reactions of Therapeutic Nucleophiles—Department of Chemistry
  • University of Southampton—two contracts
  • EEG, Drugs, Brain Mapping and Cognition—Clinical and Neurological Sciences Group
  • Adsorption and Desorption of Methyl Salicylate on Colpro Wall Finishes—Department of Chemistry
  • University of Warwick—one contract
  • Structural Studies of Peptides using Mass Spectrometry—Department of Chemistry
  • University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology (UMIST)—five contracts—all with the Department of Chemical Engineering
  • Evaporation of Thickened Agency Simulant Droplets from Porous Surfaces
  • Field Experiments on Secondary Source Generation by Obstacle Wake Entrainment
  • Atmospheric Dispersion around Elemental Structures
  • Wind Flow and Dispersion Model Evaluation
  • Pressure and Temperature Swing Adsorption Model

I hope this information is helpful.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, column 317, how many times in (a) 1993, (b) 1994 and (c) 1995, the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment placed requirements for volunteers in "Defence Council Instructions"; and if he will place copies of these in the Library. [13092]

Mr. Arbuthnot

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

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 8 February 1996:

Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking how many times in 1993, 1994 and 1995, the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment placed requirements for volunteers in Defence Council Instructions; and if he will place copies of these in the Library has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency which includes CBDE.Requests for volunteers were published in Joint Service Defence Council Instructions (DCIs) on three occasions in 1995, four occasions in 1994, and twice in 1993. Joint Service Defence Council Instructions are restricted documents and we do not normally release them. I have, however, set out below an example of one of these adverts.I hope this information is helpful.76/94 Volunteers for Studies at Chemical & Biological Defence Establishment Porton Down (R)1. Your attention is drawn to NAGO's Article 1095, AGAI Vol 3 Chapter 117 and RAF GA1 J5051, and the requirement for servicemen and servicewomen to volunteer to take part in studies and tests of Chemical and Biological defence equipment at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) Porton Down. Volunteers could earn additional pay up to £250 (less tax), or in special cases more, for a three week study and proportionately less for the shorter studies. CBDE is well aware of the many pressures on commanding officers and the difficulties of releasing personnel for duties outside the role of their command. However, it is stressed that this Service volunteer scheme plays an essential part in the development of Chemical and Biological defence equipment. Commanding Officers excluding RAF Germany units are therefore asked to give this requirement maximum publicity by repeating it in daily/unit routine orders and to release volunteers whenever possible to take part in these studies.2. The dates of assembly and dispersal for the formal programme for the period January to April 1995 are shown at the ANNEX. Additional special intakes are sometimes required which are notified by signal giving as much notice as possible.3. It should be noted that only regular members of HM Forces serving in the UK and BAOR can be accepted as volunteers.

Annex: Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment Programme for the period 9 January-7 April 1995
Duration Dates Number required Special requirements
3 Weeks 9 January–27 January 4 All the same sex
3 Weeks 9 January–27 January 4M
2 Weeks 30 January–10 February 2M
3 Weeks 13 February–3 March 4 All the same sex
3 Weeks 13 February–3 March 4M
2 Weeks 6 March–17 March 2M
1 Week 20 March–24 March 4 All the same sex
2 Weeks 20 March–31 March 5M 5'8"-6' tall (bare feet), no beards
3 Weeks 20 March–7 April 4M
1 Week 27 March–31 March 4 All the same sex

N.B. All volunteers are to be P2 or above and not on any medication.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions are placed by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment on the provision to volunteers of copies of the original laboratory reports of the experiments in which they participated; what factors underlie the imposition of these restrictions; and if he will make a statement. [13091]

Mr. Arbuthnot

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

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 8 February 1996:

Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what restrictions are placed by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment on providing volunteers who took part in the service volunteers' programme with copies of the original laboratory reports of the experiments in which they participated, and what factors underlie these restrictions has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency which includes CBDE.It would perhaps be helpful to explain clearly the type of records held by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment regarding the Service volunteer programme. Records of the volunteers involved in the Service volunteer programme from 1940 to 1990 are held in summary books. These summary books contain the volunteer's name, service number, date of attendance and a brief, often one word, description of the study in which they participated. In some cases this information is all that we have to describe the study. We are able to supply some additional details for most volunteers who took part in studies involving exposure to chemical warfare materials such as mustard gas and nerve agent from exposure record books. These laboratory records, containing some experimental detail, were working papers to be used in the preparation of technical reports.The technical reports on studies in which volunteers participated are themselves available for some areas of work although a number of these remain classified. These reports do not identify individual volunteers but can povide general background information on the type and nature of the study in which the volunteer took part. Since 1990 and the introduction of formal written volunteer protocols the record books identify the protocol number(s) for the trials in which volunteers participated and a cross reference can be made to copy of the protocol held in the archive to determine the experimental details.It has long been a policy of CBDE to make available to a volunteer's medical practitioner as much information as possible in order to assist with the medical management of the volunteer's case. It has also been policy to give, when they inquire, a general outline of the studies in which they participated to the individual volunteers.I hope this information is helpful.
Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 1995,Official Report, column 1172, if he will list the titles of each of the unclassified documents published under the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment technical papers series since 1991. [13108]

Mr. Arbuthnot

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

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 8 February 1996:

Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking if he will list the titles of each of the unclassified documents published under the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment Technical Paper series since 1991 has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency which includes CBDE.As the list of Technical Papers accompanying this letter is too long to be printed in the Official Report, arrangements will be made for a copy to be deposited in the Library.
Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the titles and subject matter of the scientific papers in the Porton technical papers series produced by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment which bear the numbers 905, 911, 913, 916, 920, 921, 922, 923, 924, 925, 926, 927, 928, 930, 931, 933, 934, 935, 936 and 941. [12997]

Mr. Arbuthnot

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

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 8 February 1996:

Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the titles and subject matter of the scientific papers in the Porton Technical Papers series produced by the Chemical Defence Establishment bearing the numbers 905, 911, 913, 916, 920, 921, 922, 923, 924, 925, 926, 927, 928, 930, 931, 933, 934, 935, 936 and 941 has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency which includes CBDE.All the Porton Technical Papers referred to in your question are available in the Public Records Office at Kew with the exception of Porton Technical Paper 941 which will be released under the 30 year rule in 1997. The title of this paper is "Studies on model compounds related to inhibited cholinesterases". Since it may help your research I have listed below the Public Record Office piece numbers of the Papers that have been released.
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0905-WO195/15995
  • PORTON TECHNICAL-PAPER-0911-WO195/15996
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0913-WO195/15984
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0916-WO195/16070
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0920-WO195/15985
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0921-WO195/15989
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0922-WO195/15988
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0923-WO195/15986
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0924-WO195/15987
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0925-WO195/15990
  • PORTON-TECHNIC AL-PAPER-0926-WO195/16031
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0927-WO195/16032
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0928-WO195/16033
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0930-WO195/16085
  • PORTON-TECHNIC AL-PAPER-0931-WO195/16084
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL PAPER-0933-WO195/16087
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL PAPER-0934-WO195/16149
  • PORTON-TECHNICAL-PAPER-0935-WO195/16150
  • PORTON-TECHNIC AL-PAPER-0936-WO195/16137
I hope that this information is helpful.
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