HL Deb 25 April 2002 vol 634 cc50-2WA
The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many Gulf War veterans (a) have been diagnosed with, or (b) have died from renal cancer or lymphocytic leukaemia; and whether the incidence in the veterans community is considered to be higher than would be expected in the general population. [HL3661]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)

Comprehensive cancer registration data provided by the Office for National Statistics' NHS Central Register on registrations in England and Wales is currently available only for the period up to 31 December 1998 as follows:

Cancer data from the NHS Central Register—1 April 1991 to 31 December 1998
UK Gulf veterans General Population estimate (Note 3)
Renal Cancer (Note 1)
Diagnosis: 5 6
Of whom Deaths 1 3
Lymphoid Leukaemia (Note 2)
Diagnosis: 1 3
Of whom Deaths 1 2

Notes:

1. Renal cancer or malignant neoplasm of the kidney (International Classification of Disease (ICD) 9th Revision code 189.0 and ICD 10th Revision code C64). Excludes malignant neoplasm of the renal pelvis (ICD) 9th Revision code 189.1 and ICD 10th Revision code C65) because this condition is histologically and aetiologically different from the other renal cancers described in the table.

2. The different manifestations of lymphocytic leukaemia are included in the classification for lymphoid leukaemia in ICD 9th Revision codes 204.0 to 204.9 and ICD 10th Revision code C91

3. The estimates for the general population have been calculated by applying the age and gender specific rates for the general population resident in England and Wales to the Gulf veteran cohort.

Drawing conclusions about health from a comparison of service personnel with the general population may not necessarily be valid because, for example, Armed Forces selection procedures are designed to identify and exclude those who are medically unsuitable for service due to poor health and fitness or have a predisposition to develop ill health. The emphasis given to maintaining physical fitness and the different healthcare arrangements provided for Armed Forces personnel during their career are additional examples of why such a comparison can be misleading. It is for these reasons that an era comparison group of UK service personnel was identified with whom the health of Gulf veterans is compared by the Ministry of Defence. I outlined the composition of the era comparison group in my recent Answer to my noble friend Lord Morris of Manchester (Official Report, 25 February 2002, columns WA 177–78) The MoD is conducting an analysis of the incidence of all cancers in Gulf veterans and the era group with the aim of making the findings available later this year.