§ Ms AthertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2001,Official Report, column 518W, what was the origin of the substance pralidoxime mesylate which was deposited into the sea off the north Cornish coast when Chemical Defence Establishment Nancekuke was decommissioned. [26628]
§ Dr. MooniePralidoxime mesylate is used to treat individuals who have been exposed to a range of organophosphorous materials, including nerve agents.
Between the years 1972 and 1997, 54.36 tonnes of pralidoxime mesylate were manufactured on site at CDE Nancekuke. Most of this was supplied to a pharmaceutical company for formulation into standard therapeutic tablets for issue to the services. Any reject or shelf-expired tablets were subsequently returned to Nancekuke for recovery or destruction.
§ Ms AthertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records there are of the origin of chemicals used at the chemical defence establishment, Nancekuke. [26199]
§ Dr. MoonieThere are no surviving records which detail the origin of the chemicals used at the chemical defence establishment, nancekuke.
However, the records of the technical programme undertaken at Nancekuke indicate that many chemical compounds were manufactured on site from chemicals which would have been purchased from commercial suppliers.
Additionally, it is known that some chemicals were transferred to Nancekuke from the Ministry of Defence facilities at Sutton Oak, which closed in 1953, and the War Department factories which were situated at Randle, Valley and Springfields. Also chemicals, such as CS, would have been transferred to Nancekuke from other military establishments for destruction.