§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the investigation headed by Detective Superintendent Luckett into allegations of past criminal activity at DSTL Porton Down. [39318]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 11 March 2002]: A report on the death of Leading Air Craftsman Ronald Maddisson at Porton Down in 1953 was submitted to Her Majesty's Coroner for Swindon and the County of Wiltshire in January 2001.
In relation to allegations made by several hundred former service personnel who had attended Porton Down and participated in experiments, seven files have been forwarded to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) since September 2001. A final case file is expected to be forwarded within the next few weeks. A number of former Porton Down staff have been interviewed by the police in relation to the cases.
As part of the ongoing inquiry the police are looking at whether former volunteers have suffered any long term adverse health effects.