§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made to inoculate British forces and medical auxiliaries currently dispatched to the Gulf against(a) anthrax, (b) botulism and 324W (c) chemical weapon agents; what range of insecticides have been sent; and if serving personnel have been given an option not to receive inoculations. [30830]
§ Dr. ReidA programme of immunisation against anthrax is currently being offered to UK Service personnel and MOD civilians in the Gulf region. Details of this programme, which whilst strongly recommended is not compulsory were given in the reply by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence to the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) on 3 March 1998,Official Report, column 535. UK forces currently deployed in the Gulf region have been equipped with a range of medical countermeasures against chemical and biological warfare agents. However, no other prophylactic medical countermeasures are currently being used by these forces.
Up to three types of pesticide from Service stocks are available for use by UK forces in the Gulf region, according to their location. These are pyrethroid-based insecticides for general insect control, a bendiocarb-based insecticide cockroach control and difenacoum-based rodenticides.