§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research(a) his Department and (b) the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down, has carried out to compare the number of individuals exposed to nerve agent in experiments with the numbers exposed to these same chemicals in the military experimental programmes of other countries. [146691]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of DERA at Porton Down has not undertaken any detailed comparison of the numbers of individuals exposed to nerve agents in the course of the Service Volunteer Programme and of those exposed to nerve agents in the military trials programmes of other countries. The number possibly exposed in the UK programme was 3,400.
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 14 December 2000,Official Report, column 223W, on Porton Down volunteers, if his Department will compile reports on the nerve agent studies involving volunteers as part of the research to establish the definitive numbers. [146688]
§ Dr. MoonieYes, we intend to identify the numbers of volunteers involved in each of the studies conducted at Porton Down. It is our intention to publish the findings.
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) for what reasons the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down, initiated the survey of the health of service volunteers exposed to nerve agents reported in the document "A long-term follow-up of volunteers exposed to GB sarin (CDE Technical Note 175)" in July 1973; [146689]
(2) if he will place in the Public Record Office a copy of the document "A long-term follow-up of volunteers exposed to GB sarin (CDE Technical Note 175)". [146690]
§ Dr. MoonieCDE Technical Note 175 (TN 175) was published in July 1973 and was the second of three similar studies. (The other two were TN 120 published in February 1972 and TN 1010 published in August 1989). The work which led to CDE Technical Note 175 was a small scale study initiated by staff at Porton Down. This was intended to identify any long term health effect of single exposure to nerve agents during the volunteer programme. An examination of the medical records of individuals exposed to nerve agents during the remainder of their time in service indicated no increased incidence of ill health in comparison to a control group.
I have arranged for a copy of the document to which the hon. Member refers together with TN 120 to be placed in the Library of the House (TN 1010 was placed in the Library in December 2000). Consideration as to whether or not the document should be placed in the Public Records Office will be given under the terms of the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967.
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service volunteers were tested with the oripavine derivative TL 2636 by staff of the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down, and in what years; for what reasons the tests were(a) started and (b) ended; what the results of these tests were how many technical papers recording the results of these tests have been produced by Porton Down staff; and what research has 658W been carried out by his Department to establish the long-term effects of this chemical on the health of individuals. [146687]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Service Volunteer Programme at the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of DERA at Porton Down has undertaken research with the oripavine derivative TL 2636 as an incapacitating agent, part of which has involved service volunteers. The results of this aspect of research are collated in two formal technical papers, one of which covers the period between August 1961 and November 1963 and the second which details a particular trial in January 1968. However, there are several other technical papers which discuss different aspects of the research programme pertaining to this compound.
The volunteer studies were undertaken because there was concern that this or similar compounds may be deployed against the UK armed forces to cause temporary incapacitation. A total of 141 service volunteers were involved in these studies which concluded that oripavine had the potential to cause both physical and mental incapacitation.
To date no long-term follow-up studies have been undertaken, however TL 2636 is a member of the same group of drugs as morphine which has been used clinically for many years. The current evidence suggests that following single, acute doses of such compounds there are no significant long-term effects on health.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many scientific procedures on animals were carried out at Porton Down in each of the last five years. [146461]
§ Dr. MoonieThe table shows the number of procedures for the last five years which have been reported to the Home Office by the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) at Porton Down.
Total 1995 8,747 1996 11,097 1997 10,956 1998 11,091 1999 11,501