§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the liability for compensation arising from personal injury by armed forces personnel 263W who have suffered medical problems as a result of deployment to Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [148146]
§ Dr. MoonieIt would be inappropriate to disclose information about my Department's estimated financial liability while claims for compensation remain to be settled. I am withholding the information requested under exemption 4 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. However, I can say that 15 claims for compensation have been received from members of HM forces who contracted malaria as a result of deployment to Sierra Leone. In only one of these cases does my Department accept that the claim is valid.