HC Deb 15 October 1996 vol 282 cc857-8W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to add a gynaecologist to the medical team examining British service men and ex-service men and their partners who are suffering prolonged illness following service in the Gulf war. [40496]

Mr. Soames

It is not intended to add a gynaecologist to the medical team running the Department's medical assessment programme. If a consultant gynaecological opinion is required, this will be obtained through the usual medical referral procedure.

Mr. Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research in collaboration with the United States Institute of Medicine has been funded by his Department into Gulf war syndrome. [40497]

Mr. Soames

The United States Government are funding a range of studies into Gulf health issues, including one in the United Kingdom by Dr. Simon Wessely of King's college medical school. I shall be announcing the final selection of research projects to be funded by my Department, as recommended by the Medical Research Council, in November.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to compensate victims of Gulf war syndrome; and if he will make a statement. [40557]

Mr. Soames

Those who served in the Gulf war have the same legal right of compensation against the Ministry of Defence as civilian workers have against MOD or any other employer. Any Gulf veterans who can be shown to be suffering from illness caused by negligence on the part of my Department will be entitled to compensation in line with common law principles. However, no such compensation claims have yet been pursued by lawyers for claimants, although a list of over a thousand names of potential claimants has been lodged with MOD. This list gives the symptoms or disease claimed to have been experienced by each person since the Gulf war, without specific allegations of negligence.