HC Deb 22 July 1996 vol 282 cc86-90W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average wind speed in Northern Ireland for each month of the last available full year at(a) sea level, (b) between 200 and 300 ft altitude, (c) at 600 to 700 ft altitude, or as much of such information as is readily available to him. [38639]

Mr. Arbuthnot

This is a matter for the Meteorological Office under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive of the Meteorological Office to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from M. A. Bittleston to Mr. William Ross, dated 22 July 1996: I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about wind speeds in Northern Ireland as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Meteorological Office. Average surface wind speeds (measured at 10m about ground level) are given below for each month of 1995 at 6 stations with heights above sea level between 12 and 235 metres. There is no clear relationship between wind speed with height of the station above sea level. This is because surface wind is highly dependent on the geographical position and the local topography. I hope you find this information useful. Biological Defence Sector (CBD) at Porton Down is now part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) for which I am responsible as Chief Executive. All work involving the use of volunteers at Porton Down is subject to considerable scrutiny before a study can begin. Proposals for studies are examined by an internal review committee which must be satisfied that the proposed work is necessary, requires the use of volunteers and is not likely to have long term effects of the health of the volunteers. The study protocol must then be reviewed by the independent Ethics Committee who will recommend whether it should be accepted for inclusion in the volunteer programme. Only when this recommendation has been received can a study begin. The committee will not give their recommendation to any protocol where, in their judgement, there is likely to be long term effects on the health of the volunteers. Prior to participating in a study, volunteers have the purpose of the study, the procedures to be carried out, any expected reactions they may experience and any risks the scientists involved in the study have identified explained to them so that the volunteers can give fully informed consent to participate in the study. This procedure has been followed for many years but has been formally documented and included in submissions to the Ethics Committee since this was established in 1991. I hope this information is helpful.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been carried out by the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down, to investigate if(a) delayed recurrent keratitis of the eye, (b) chronic bronchitis and (c) emphysema can be caused by short-term exposure to mustard gas; when this research was carried out; and what were the results. [37618]

Mr. Arbuthnot

[holding answer 16 July 1996]: 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 22 July 1996: I have been asked to reply to your question concerning research conducted on health effects caused by exposure to mustard agent. The Chemical Biological Defence Sector (CBD) at Porton Down is now part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) for which I am responsible as Chief Executive. Scientists at Porton Down are not aware of any research having been carried out at Porton Down to investigate whether delayed recurrent keratitis of the eye, chronic bronchitis or emphysema can be caused by short-term exposure to mustard gas. I am sorry I cannot be more helpful on this occasion.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information is provided to the War Pensions Agency by the Chemical Defence Establishment when individuals who took part in experiments at Porton Down claim disablement arising out of these experiments; if this information is available in its entirety to the claimant; and to what extent it includes(a) technical reports produced by Porton Down and (b) Porton Down's original laboratory data of the relevant experiments. [37619]

Mr. Arbuthnot

[holding answer 16 July 1996]: 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 22 July 1996: I have been asked to reply to your question concerning the information provided to the War Pensions Agency by staff at Porton Down. The Chemical Biological Defence Sector (CBD) at Porton Down is now part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) for which I am responsible as Chief Executive. CBD provides a range of information to the War Pensions Agency (WPA) in response to enquiries from individuals who took part in experiments at Porton Down. Typically information provided to the WPA confirms the dates of attendance of the volunteer and, when available, an outline of the type of study in which he/she participated and the substances to which she/he was exposed. Where the service volunteer records provide any information regarding the results of such exposures this is also supplied. Relevant extracts from technical reports of original laboratory data, where they exist, would be included if considered helpful. Similar material is provided to the volunteers when they write directly requesting this information. A copy of the material provided by Porton Down to the War Pensions Agency is not usually revealed to claimants unless an appeal against the WPA decision is made. In such circumstances a document called a "Statement of Case" is prepared to contain the relevant facts as known by the Secretary of State. This Statement of Case will be made available to the appellant. However Rule 22 of the Pensions Appeal Tribunals (England & Wales) Rules 1980 applies to any case where the medical history of the appellant comprises of material which, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, it would be undesirable in the interests of the appellant to disclose to him. This information will be marked for the Tribunal by broad "black lining" but will be omitted from the appellant's copy of the Statement of Case. I hope this information is helpful.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many scientific papers in the Porton memorandum series were produced by the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down; when the first paper in the series was produced; when the series was closed; and how many papers in this series are currently unclassified. [37616]

Mr. Arbuthnot

[holding answer 16 July 1996]: 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 22 July 1996: I have been asked to reply to your question concerning papers in the Porton Memorandum series. The Chemical Biological Defence Sector (CBD) at Porton Down is now part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) for which I am responsible as Chief Executive. The Porton Memorandum series contained a total of 42 reports. The first of these was published in August 1939 and the last in April 1951. According to the records held by the Porton Down Information Centre fourteen of these reports are currently unclassified. I hope this information is helpful.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the ban on military and civilian aircraft flying over the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down began; and what factors underlay the decision to ban flights. [37615]

Mr. Arbuthnot

[holding answer 16 July 1996]: 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 22 July 1996: I have been asked to reply to your question concerning flying by military and civilian aircraft over the Porton Down site. The Chemical Biological Defence Sector (CBD) at Porton Down is now part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) for which I am responsible as Chief Executive. There is an air exclusion zone (EGD 127) over the Porton Down site. This imposes the same restrictions on flights by military and civilian aircraft as are imposed in the large number of similar exclusion zones across the United Kingdom. It extends from the surface to 12,000 feet and its co-ordinates are defined in the Aeronautical Information Publication. The zone has been in force for over forty years and is in place because of the use made of the range area for experimental purposes. Planned flights may be made by military aircraft taking part in trials on the range area and are restricted to predefined routes. Any civilian aircraft breaching the exclusion zone may be reported to the Civil Aviation Authority so that action can be taken against them. I hope this information is helpful.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Chemical Defence Establishment's assessment of the effect on human health, in the(a) short-term and (b) long-term, of one-off exposure to Adamsite; and what research the establishment has conducted into such exposure. [37613]

Mr. Arbuthnot

[holding answer 16 July 1996]: 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 22 July 1996: I have been asked to reply to your question concerning effects on human health of exposure to.Adamsite. The Chemical Biological Defence Sector (CBD) at Porton Down is now part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) for which I am responsible as Chief Executive. CBD Sector at Porton Down has undertaken no research on the toxicology of Adamsite since the 1920s. It is not our practice, for obvious reasons, to make available details of our assessment of the effectiveness of chemical warfare agents. The Ministry of Defence circulates to military medical staff descriptions of the symptoms of exposure to such substances. The symptoms of exposure to Adamsite (DM) consist of acute pain in the nose and sinuses with a sense of fullness in the head and headache. There is a burning sensation in the throat with tightness and pain in the chest, accompanied by violent sneezing and uncontrollable coughing. The eyes are affected with irritation, pain and lachrymation. Nasal secretions and salivation are greatly increased and nausea and vomiting develop. People who are exposed to Adamsite in the field suffer these symptoms for several hours but they then disappear leaving no obvious long term effects. I hope this information is helpful.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what studies have been carried out by the Chemical Defence Establishment Porton Down since 1966 to evaluate the long-term health effects of short-term exposure to the nerve agent Tabun; when these studies were conducted; and what were their conclusions; [37612]

(2) how many volunteers in the service volunteers programme at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down, have been exposed to the nerve agent Tabun since 1966; when was the last time that volunteers were exposed; and what was the conclusion reached following these experiments. [37620]

Mr. Arbuthnot

[holding answer 16 July 1996]: 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 22 July 1996: I have been asked to reply to your two questions about how many volunteers have been exposed to the nerve agent Tabun since 1966 at Potion Down and what work has been done to evaluate the long term health effects of short term exposures. I am replying to both questions in this letter since the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector (CBD) at Potion Down is now part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) for which I am responsible as Chief Executive. Mr. Harry Cohen MP asked a similar question earlier in the year and in my reply to him printed in the Official Report 16 January 1996, Column 529, I stated that work on Tabun had been conducted following the discovery of shells containing this agent after the collapse of the Third Reich. Work with volunteers ended over forty years ago and it would involve disproportionate costs to attempt to identify the precise date in the 1950s on which the last test was conducted. I also told Mr. Cohen the purpose of these studies was to evaluate the incapacitating effects of sub-lethal doses of this agent. The results of these studies were helpful in formulating appropriate defence measures against the threat nerve agents presented. No studies have been conducted since 1966 to evaluate long term health effects of exposure to this nerve agent. I hope this information is helpful.