HC Deb 30 November 2000 vol 357 cc725-7W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for (1) what reason former Gulf veterans are informed they can only obtain copies of their military medical records if they give a declaration that they do not intend to sue his Department; [141079]

(2) what reasons Gulf veterans on incapacity and disablement living allowances seeking copies of their medical records have to pay a fee to his Department; [141019]

(3) what reason Gulf veterans seeking a copy of their military medical records have to state that their cases are not ones in which his Department is currently interested. [141080]

Mr. Spellar

I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gulf veterans have died since April 1995; how many of them(a) claimed to be suffering from Gulf War Syndrome and (b) claimed to be suffering from symptoms of an ill-defined nature caused by service in the Gulf War; how many deaths in (a) and (b) were suicides; and if he will make a statement. [141017]

Mr. Spellar

According to my Department's records, in the period 1 April 1995 to 28 November 2000,278 UK Gulf veterans (service and ex-service personnel) died. None of these records show "Gulf War Syndrome" as a cause of death. Records are not available indicating whether those who died claimed to be suffering from Gulf War Syndrome or whether they claimed to be suffering from the symptoms of an ill-defined nature caused by service in the Gulf conflict. Of the 278 UK Gulf veterans who died, 50 deaths were categorised under the International Classification of Diseases 9th Edition Revision 1977 as due tosuicide and injury undetermined whether accidental or intentional.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Mr. Miller) on 20 July 2000, Official Report, columns 247–48W, regarding mortality data covering the period 1 April 1991 to 30 June 2000 comparing the UK Gulf veterans to a matched control group.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason ill Gulf veterans have not been offered tests for exposure to depleted uranium. [140492]

Mr. Spellar

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 29 November 2000,Official Report, column 643W.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what warnings were given to British troops about the use of ammunition containing depleted uranium prior to(a) the Gulf War and (b) service in Kosovo; [140493]

(2) what measures were taken to ensure that British troops serving in the Gulf War were protected against ingesting radioactive particles from depleted uranium. [140494]

Mr. Spellar

Early in the 1990–1991 Gulf conflict, the Ministry of Defence decided that the DU-based tank round should be brought into service to give our forces a better capability against Iraqi tanks. At the same time a bulletin was produced setting out safety procedures. Explosive ordnance disposal personnel, whose work entailed a direct risk of significant exposure, were provided with detailed instructions on the precautions that they should take to protect their health. Instructions were also issued to Ordnance Corps personnel involved in the handling, transportation and storage of the ammunition. It appears that tank crews and other personnel were not issued with such advice. This omission was publicly recognised by MOD in July 1993.

More recently, a copy of a signal message dated 25 February 1991, from the MOD to one Armoured Division in Saudi Arabia, has been found. The signal provides advice on measures to be taken to prevent exposure to respirable DU dust hazards. Although it is suggested that a subsequent signal was sent promulgating the advice to other units in theatre, so far, no evidence has been found among contemporary records to substantiate whether this advice was in fact promulgated.

Service personnel deployed to Kosovo are given appropriate force protection advice including available appropriate protective equipment, including gloves and respiratory equipment, which they should wear if they encounter targets suspected of being damaged by DU-based ammunition.