§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many new staff have been taken on in the Gulf Veterans Illnesses Unit to deal with issues relating to Porton Down volunteers since 21 November 2000; and in what grades each of these new staff were. [152083]
§ Dr. MoonieSince 21 November 2000, the following members of staff have joined the Gulf Veterans Illnesses Unit (GVIU), specifically to deal with issues relating to the Porton Down Volunteer Programme:
- 1 x Principal (Grade B2).
- 2 x Senior Executive Officers (Grade C1).
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 21 November 2000,Official Report, columns 101–02W, on what dates officials from his Department and the Chemical Defence 20W Establishment, Porton Down, held meetings with the Medical Research Council regarding advice on an independent epidetmiological study for Porton Down volunteers. [152080]
§ Dr. MoonieMy staff met representatives from the Medical Research Council (MRC) at Porton Down on 5 March 2001.
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 14 December 2000,Official Report, column 223W, regarding nerve agent studies, if the research to establish the definitive numbers of Porton Down volunteers who have taken part in nerve agent studies will include an assessment of the safety and ethical procedures which were in force at Porton Down during these studies [152054]
§ Dr. Moonie>Yes
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 25 January 2001,Official Report, column 659W, regarding Oripavine, if he will place in the Library a list of the technical papers which discuss the different aspects of Porton' s research on TL2636, specifying the title, number and date of each paper. [152050]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of DERA at Porton Down has identified several internal technical reports which relate to research involving Oripavine TL2636. These are as follows
Porton Technical Paper 0835: Oripavine derivative (TL2636) as a potential incapacitating agent. 1963Porton Technical Paper 0951: Prediction of biological activity. 1966Nancekuke Internal Note 9: Some applications of potentiometric titrations in non-aqueous media. 1965Nancekuke Internal Note 16: Analysis of tertiary alcohols of the 6:14 endetheno tetrahydro Oripavine series. 1966Nancekuke Report 78: Preparation of tertiary alcohols of the 6:14 endetheno tetrahydro Oripavine series. 1966Porton Down Technical Paper 939: N-dealkylation of Oripavine derivatives and its significance in their pharmacological activity. Date unknown.Technical Paper 008: Neuropharmacological comparison in the cat of the catalepsy producing drugs morphine and bulbocapnine. 1969Technical Paper 068: Effects of small doses of an Oripavine derivative on human subjects under both laboratory and field conditions. 1972.The following three reports have some reference to Oripavine TL2636:
Annual Summary Report 1965–1966. 1966CW Applications Discussion Group: 17th Quadripartite CBR Conference. 1964Applied Biology Committee Chemical Defence Establishment: Effects of small doses of TL2636 on human subjects at rest and exercising in the laboratory and the field. 1968.The majority of these reports are over 30 years old and are part of the Porton Down archive holding of records which have been progressively transferred to the main MOD repository at Hayes. Since 1998, the majority of the above technical reports and other material have been forwarded to MOD archives for review, in accordance with normal procedures, and eventual transfer to the Public Records Office.
21W
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment(a) his Department and (b) the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down, have made of the report produced by the US Institute of Medicine in 1993 entitled, "Veterans at Risk-the health effects of mustard gas and lewisite"; and on what dates these assessments were made. [152082]
§ Dr. MoonieI will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the ways in which his Department and the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down, have co-operated and provided assistance to the Wiltshire Police during their inquiry into human trials at Porton Down. [152081]
§ Dr. MoonieFrom the start of the investigation by Wiltshire Police, staff at Porton Down have been as helpful as possible in providing them with the material they require. Officers were issued passes to allow them easy access to the Porton Down site and, prior to moving the records to the Police Headquarters, the Police had use of an office containing the archived volunteer files to carry out their work. The Police have also had access to archive material held in the Ministry of Defence's archives, and research advice and assistance from the MOD historical branches.
MOD staff continue to be in regular contact with their opposite numbers in the Wiltshire Constabulary and meet with them whenever necessary to discuss points of concern.