HL Deb 05 March 2003 vol 645 cc110-1WA
Lord Swinfen

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether servicemen in the Gulf and neighbouring countries, and those being sent to that region, are being offered multiple or combined inoculations; and whether the servicemen are asked to sign a disclaimer to the effect that if they suffer any illness in the future that may be attributed to such inoculations they will not claim compensation. [HL1315]

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

All service personnel are routinely offered a range of vaccinations to protect against disease. These include public health vaccinations and vaccinations for those in special occupational risk groups. Vaccinations are also offered to service personnel deploying to areas with specific health hazards and to protect personnel against the effects of biological weapons.

In accordance with NHS guidelines, a number of public health vaccinations may be administered at the same time, some in combination. This is not unusual. However, by offering public health vaccinations to service personnel on recruitment, with boosters at appropriate intervals thereafter, the need to administer several vaccinations or boosters immediately before a deployment can be avoided. Nevertheless, boosters or additional vaccinations may be unavoidable at the time of a deployment or in an emergency. This is the case for anyone travelling overseas at short notice. In such circumstances, full account is taken of any other treatment or medication that an individual might be receiving at the time. This is balanced against the risk of contracting the disease during deployment.

There is no requirement for service personnel who are offered a vaccination to sign any waivers or disclaimers. All vaccinations are administered on a voluntary basis. As part of individuals giving their informed consent to receive a vaccination, they are advised of the consequences of their refusal and of any possible side-effects of the vaccine. Units may, if required, maintain administrative records of which personnel have received the necessary briefings or need to be re-offered boosters. None of these records constitutes a legal waiver or disclaimer.