§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the terms of references of the Independent Panel of the Ministry of Defence for interactions between vaccines and NAPS (Nerve Agent Pre-treatment Sets) and by whom the terms were set and upon whose authority; and [HL3442]
Whether there have been any proposals for additions or changes to be made to the terms of references of the Independent Panel of the Ministry of Defence for interactions between vaccines and NAPS (Nerve Agent Pretreatment Sets) and, if there have been, what action has been taken. [HL3443]
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Gilbert)The Independent Panel was established to oversee the MoD-funded research programme which is investigating whether there were any adverse health effects from the combination of vaccines and tablets which were given to UK troops during the Gulf conflict to protect them against biological and chemical warfare agents. A draft aim and terms of reference for the panel were approved in September 1997 by the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces. At its first meeting on 18 December 1997, the panel accepted these terms of reference with one small amendment, relating to the panel's responsibility to ensure that the research results are published appropriately. The panel has not made any subsequent recommendations to alter the aim or the terms of reference. They are as follows:
"The aim of the Panel is to ensure that the programme is conducted in an objective and scientifically sound manner. In order to meet this aim, the terms of reference for the Panel are: 119WA
- 1. To review the research programme document, which outlines MoD proposals about how the new research programme should proceed, in detail.
- 2. To provide appropriate advice to the MoD, through the Chairman, on the content of the programme and the proposed research strategy.
- 3. To provide advice on criteria on which bids from external institutions for extramural research within the overall programme will be selected and to oversee the peer review of all research submissions.
- 4. To scrutinise protocols for the work which is planned to be carried out.
- 5. To review regular research reports, including raw data, from researchers and to advise throughout the programme, on whether the aims of each phase or study are being met.
- 6. To provide advice on when and where research results should be presented or published, and to ensure that research results are published appropriately.
- 7. To report to MoD via the Panel Chairman on views of the Panel and the proceedings of the meetings.
- 8. To provide advice, when requested, on external research proposals which have been submitted to MoD.
WA120 - 9. To provide advice, as appropriate, on other scientific matters relating to the research programme."