§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Ministers or officials in the Ministry of Defence have bad any part in the input to, or decisions about, the parameters for research proposals, or protocols for research, into Gulf War illnesses. [HL1852]
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Gilbert)From time to time the Ministry of Defence receives proposals for research into aspects of Gulf veterans' illnesses. VloD policy is that all such proposals for additional research must be subject to independent scrutiny before any decision on funding is made. Accordingly, they are put for consideration to either the Medical Research Council or the Independent Panel overseeing the specific MoD research programme to investigate possible interactions between the medical countermeasures which were used during the 1990–91 Gulf conflict, whichever course is considered more appropriate. If the independent assessors suggest that a proposal merits funding, then MoD naturally looks favourably upon such a recommendation. The final decision, however, on whether to fund a particular research proposal rests with the MoD.
Prospective researchers have generally discussed their proposals with MoD officials, who are able to provide background informal:ion about the MoD-funded research programmes and aspects of the Gulf conflict, as well as informal assistance if this is appropriate,
Some MoD employees have been involved, in their private capacities, in the development of particular research proposals and have appeared as co-authors of research papers into Gulf veterans' illnesses.
10WAThe cohort groups for the two MoD-funded epidemiological studies currently being conducted by teams led by Professor Nicola Cherry at Manchester University and Dr. Patricia Doyle at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and for the epidemiological study funded by the US Department of Defense, being conducted by a team led by Professor Simon Wessely at King's College, London, were derived from MoD data. The MoD maintains a database specifically of Gulf veterans as well as its main databases of former and currently serving members of the Armed Forces. The study cohorts were selected as random samples from these databases by a statistician seconded to the MoD from the Office for National Statistics.
Finally, MoD officials are also responsible, in conjunction with the MRC, which advises MoD on its overall strategy for Gulf health issues, for developing the MoD's Gulf health research programme in the light of emerging medical scientific findings.