§ Lord Morris of Manchesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any review of Dr Tony Hall's work for the Medical Assessment Programme of the Ministry of Defence has been undertaken by the department, or is now being considered, subsequent to his widely publicised comments of 10 August on the health of service personnel and the integrity of Gulf War veterans. [HL4074]
§ Lord BachNo review is planned but all patient records are routinely reviewed in great detail. Dr Hall was employed at the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) in July 1997 but went on extended leave in December 1997. His employment was finally terminated in July 1998. Approximately three and a half thousand patients have been seen by GVMAP physicians since it was established in July 1993 and Dr Hall saw only a minority of these while at the GVMAP.
The Government are not responsible for Lord Lloyd's unofficial investigation and we have no control over who attends or wishes to submit evidence. The views expressed by Dr Hall on the causes of Gulf veterans' ill health at Lord Lloyd's unofficial investigation into Gulf veterans' illnesses on 10 August are not the views of the Government.
74WA
§ Lord Morris of Manchesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Dr Tony Hall and other employees or ex-employees of the Ministry of Defence were informed of the Ministry of Defence's policy, stated by Ministers, that it is incumbent on all those who are close to health issues and have some knowledge of them to consider very carefully the language they use when making comments that could cause unnecessary anxiety among service personnel, veterans, and their families and friends, possibly threatening their well-being; if so, by whom and when they were so informed. [HL4075]
§ Lord BachThe Government are not responsible for Lord Lloyd's unofficial investigation and we have no control over who attends or wishes to submit evidence. Dr Hall has not been employed by the Ministry of Defence since July 1998 and the views he expressed on 10 August are not the views of the Government.
We expect and receive the highest standard of professional conduct from health professionals and other employees when dealing with service personnel, veterans and family members. This includes adherence to relevant standards required by external professional bodies.