HL Deb 13 January 1997 vol 577 cc6-7WA
The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Ministry of Defence has any documentary evidence of chemical warfare which occurred during the Gulf War such as that now being revealed to the United States Congress.

Earl Howe:

No. My department's own research and that of the American authorities, who have passed to us details of a number of alleged detections of chemical warfare agents during the Gulf War, does not indicate any confirmed use of chemical warfare agents during the conflict.

It is important not to treat as factual and proven unsubstantiated reports of possible chemical warfare incidents that appeared during the chaotic atmosphere of war.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in the light of the information released by the Pentagon on 6th December 1996, having been held on the Army Information Desk since December 1993, about detections by Fox vehicles of mustard and nerve gas in the vicinity of United States and British troops, particularly on 14th, 26th and 27th February 1991, they will reconsider their written replies to the Countess of Mar of 20th March 1995 (H.L. Deb., WA 57), 21st March 1996 (H.L. Deb., WA 107), 4th June 1996 (H.L. Deb., WA 120) and 5th June 1996 (H.L. Deb., WA 129) in which the deployment and use of chemical weapons during the Gulf War was denied.

Earl Howe:

I am aware of alleged detections on the dates referred to. These have been discussed with our American colleagues. Not only was each of the alleged detections of CW agents uncorroborated at the time, but subsequent research has failed to establish these and other alleged detections as factual.