HL Deb 23 February 2004 vol 658 cc6-7WA
Lord Morris of Manchester

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 6 January (WA 35) why the decision was taken to "drop pertussis from the anti-biological warfare programme"; and how many doses of the vaccine were used on veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict. [HL1231]

Lord Bach

The information requested can be found in the MoD paper,Implementation of the Immunisation Programme against Biological Warfare Agents for UK Forces During the Gulf Conflict 1990–1991, paragraphs 10, 114 and 115. A copy of this paper is in the Library of the House. This paper is also available on the Internet at: www.mod.uk/issues/gulfwar/info/medical/bwa-htm and in hard copy as set out in my Answer of 20 November 2003 (Official Report, col. WA 341).

Lord Morris of Manchester

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 18 December (WA 176–77), whether the fax from the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Metters, was seen by Ministry of Defence Ministers; and, if so, whether a policy decision was taken not to act on the information it conveyed. [HL1232]

Lord Bach

In light of the MoD paper referred to in my Written Answer of 18 December 2003 (Official Report, cols. WA 176–77), it is very unlikely that the fax originated by Dr Metters on 21 December 1990 was seen by MoD Ministers at the time.