§ Mr. David AtkinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the advice of the Medical Research Council on the feasibility of an epidemiological study on 143W the effect of research on service volunteers at Porton Down; what his response was to the advice; and if he has plans to establish an independent inquiry. [4586]
§ Dr. MoonieI refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Mr. Taylor) on 28 June and 13 July 2001,Official Report, columns 133W and 622W respectively. Any resultant epidemiology study will be carried out independently of the Ministry of Defence. On 1 May I announced that the Department would conduct an historical survey of the Porton Volunteer Trials, and that this would be supervised by Professor Ian Kennedy of University College London. In addition, an investigation by the Wiltshire police of the Porton Down volunteer programme from 1939 to 1989 is under way. There are no plans for a further independent inquiry.
§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on what dates the Ethical subgroup of the Defence Scientific Advisory Committee Medical Committee scrutinised the experiment in 1989 in which service personnel were exposed to sarin nerve gas at the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down; and if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of the committee which relate to the discussion of this experiment; [986]
(2) on what dates the Ethical subgroup of the Defence Scientific Advisory Committee Medical Committee scrutinised the experiment at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down, in November 1983, in which eight service personnel were exposed to sarin nerve gas; and if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes and other papers of the committee which relate to the discussion of this experiment. [3405]
§ Dr. MoonieI shall write to the hon. Member and copies of my letters will be placed in the Library of the House.