§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Gulf War veterans of the 1990–91 campaign are estimated to be suffering from auto-immune induced osteoporosis; [156356]
617W(2) what plans he has to introduce (a) a compensation scheme and (b) additional pension entitlement for Gulf War veterans of the 1990–91 campaign who are suffering from auto-immune induced osteoporosis. [156357]
§ Mr. CaplinThere is no clinical evidence to support an autoimmune basis for osteoporosis and therefore the Ministry of Defence has no plan to introduce a related compensation scheme or additional pension entitlement. In respect of the prevalence of osteoporosis, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Llew Smith) on 27 January 2004,Official Report, columns 245–46W.