§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has made of the long-term effect on human health of short-term exposure to chlorine. [49991]
470W
§ Mr. SpellarThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:
I have been asked to reply to your question about short term exposure to chlorine.DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector (CBD) has not carried out any formal assessment of the long term effects on human health of short term exposure to chlorine.CBD is aware, however, of the general toxicology and health effects of chlorine gas, as reported in the open literature, particularly in reaction to exposure occurring through industrial accidents.I hope this is helpful.
§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a list of the titles of the reports published in the Chemical Defence Establishment Technical Paper series which were produced as unclassified papers. [50022]
§ Mr. SpellarThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:
I have been asked to reply to your question about the unclassified reports published by the Chemical Defence Establishment.I have arranged for a list of the unclassified Technical Paper series published by the Chemical Defence Establishment, the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment and DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector to be placed in the House library.I hope this is helpful.
§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent research has been carried out by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to investigate whether short-term exposure to adamsite (DM) can cause long-term illnesses; when this research was carried out; and what were the results. [49987]
§ Mr. SpellarThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:
I have been asked to reply to your question about short term exposure to adamsite (DM).DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector (CBD) has not conducted research involving exposure to adamsite (DM) for over 30 years. No assessment of possible long term health effects resulting from short term exposure to adamsite has been made.I hope this is helpful.
§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has carried out to investigate the long-term human health effects of short-term exposure to 1-methoxycycloheptatriene (1-MCHT); when this research was carried out; and what were the conclusions. [49989]
§ Mr. SpellarThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
471WLetter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:
I have been asked to reply to your question about short term exposure to 1-methoxycycloheptatriene.DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector (CBD) conducted a small number of human volunteer trials involving eye only exposure to 1-methoxycycloheptatriene (1-MCHT) from 1984 to 1985.The trials involved 19 volunteers who were exposed for between 10 to 30 seconds to concentrations of 5.0 milligrammes per cubic metre of air. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the irritancy of the compound.No assessment has been made of possible long term effects of short term exposures to 1-MCHT.I hope this is helpful.
§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many research contracts and agreements in universities are currently being funded by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment; what is the total value of these research projects; how many of these research projects are classified; and if he will list the universities at which these research projects are being funded. [49986]
§ Mr. SpellarThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:
472WI have been asked to reply to your question about university research contracts funded by DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector (CBD).CBD currently funds 60 research contracts and agreements with universities. The total value of the research is approximately £5,900,000. None of the research projects are classified.The contracts and agreements are with the following universities:
- London
- Birmingham
- Sheffield
- Ulster
- Exeter
- Durham
- Oxford
- Bath
- Hertfordshire
- Dundee
- Plymouth
- Cambridge
- Bristol
- Southampton
- Newcastle-upon-Tyne
- Manchester
- St. Andrews
- Hull
- Warwick
- Huddersfield
- University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology
- University College of London.
- I hope this is helpful.
§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has made of the effects of short-term exposure to phosgene. [50023]
§ Mr. SpellarThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:
I have been asked to reply to your question about short term exposure to phosgene.DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector is currently undertaking studies to determine the short term effects of exposure to phosgene. The studies are part of an ongoing research programme to develop medical countermeasures against chemical warfare agents. We would be happy to provide the results of this work when they are published in the open literature.
§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been carried out by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to investigate whether short-term exposure to mustard gas can cause long-term illnesses; when this research was carried out; and what were the results. [49995]
§ Mr. SpellarThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:
I have been asked to reply to your question about short term exposure to the chemical blister agent mustard.In the past, DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector (CBD) has conducted trials, as part of its service volunteer programme, involving the chemical blister agent mustard. These studies were not intended to evaluate the long term effects of this agent following short term exposure.Assessments made by CBD concerning possible long term effects of exposure to mustard have been based on numerous epidemiological studies published in the open literature.I hope this is helpful.
§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the next inspection of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment by the Health and Safety Executive is planned to take place. [49988]
§ Mr. SpellarThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 21 July 1998:
I have been asked to reply to your question about inspections by the Health and Safety Executive.The Health and Safety Executive does not publish a long term programme of its future inspections. DERA's Chemical and Biological Defence sector (CBD) is not therefore aware of the date of its next inspection.