House of Commons Hansard Debates for 24 Jun 1994

(a) assess the ability of service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

(b) develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and

(c) evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

No studies involving volunteers are carried out unless there is a clear military need and a detailed protocol has been reviewed and approved by an independent Ethics Committee in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians.

3. Our records indicate that no Service personnel since 1964 have been involved in accidents requiring hospital treatment or

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have died while or after taking part in the human volunteer programme at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment. Female Service personnel have been invited to participate in the human volunteer programme since May 1972 and first participated in the volunteer programme in November 1972.

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work Porton Down has carried out to assess substituted hydroxylamines and hydrazines as an incapacitating agent ; when this work started and ended ; what was the conclusion of this work ; which and how many animals were involved in this work ; if the tests involved humans ; with which other countries the results of the work were shared ; when this information was shared ; and under which defence agreement these results were exchanged.

Mr. Hanley : These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994 :

1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him what work Porton Down has carried out to assess substituted hydroxylamines and hydrazines as an incapacitating agent ; when this work started and ended ; what was the conclusion of this work ; which and how many animals were involved in this work ; if the tests involved humans ; with which other countries the results of the work were shared ; when this information was shared ; and under which defence agreement these results were exchanged has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.

3. Our records indicate that no work has been carried out at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to assess substituted and unsubstituted hydroxylamines and hydrazines as incapacitating agents.

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone) of 11 January, Official Report, column 160, where the results of the work on pyrroles were published in open literature.

Mr. Hanley : These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994 :

1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for Brent East on 11th January, Official Report, column 160, where the results of the work on pyrroles were published in open literature has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Froces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential

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hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.

3. Our records indicate that the results of the work on pyrroles carried out at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has not been published in the open literature.

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone) on 11 January, Official Report, column 167, why Australia requested each of the agents and materials from Britain ; from which British military establishment each was transferred ; to which Australian establishment each was transferred ; how each was transported and what safety precautions were required ; and what was the nature of the V agent and G agent intermediates.

Mr. Hanley : These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994 :

1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East on 11 January, Official Report, column 167, why Australia requested each of the agents and materials from Britain ; from which British military establishment each was transferred ; to which Australian establishment each was transferred ; how each was transported and what safety precautions were required ; and what was the nature of the V agent and G agent intermediates has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the United Kingdom Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work the potential hazard of possible chemical and biological warfare agents is assessed and the effectiveness of British protective measures evaluated.

3. The V agent intermediate was methyphosphonodichloride and the G agent intermediate was Di-Di which is a mixture of methylphosphonic difluoride and methylphosphonic dichloride. These were transferred from the then Chemical Defence Establishment at Nancekuke. Our records do not indicate why Australia requested the agents and materials from Britain or how they were transported to Australia. They were, however, transported to London, suitably packaged in accordance with the safety standards applicable at that time, for onward transportation to Australia.

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone) of 11 January, Official Report, columns 164-65, what work Porton Down has also done on assessing the hazard of tremorines ; when this work started and ended, what was the conclusion of the work ; where were the conclusions published ; and with which other countries the results of the work were shared and when this information was exchanged.

Mr. Hanley : These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24th June 1994 :

1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking pursuant to his Answer to the honourable

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Member for Brent East of 11th January, Official Report, column 164-5, what work Porton Down has also done on assessing the hazard of tremorines ; when this work started and ended, what was the conclusion of the work ; where were the conclusions published ; and with which other countries the results of the work were shared and when this information was exchanged has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to have available small quantities of materials which may be used as chemical or biological warfare agents by a potential aggressor. 3. In my reply of 11 January I advised the honourable Member for Brent East that the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment had carried out work on oxo-tremorine. Our records indicate that we have not carried out work on tremorines as such although pyrroles are substituted tremorines and my answers of 11 January 1994, Official Report, column 160 and 19 July 1993, Official Report, column 82 relate to pyrroles.

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many research projects relating to genetic engineering have been funded in universities and polytechnics by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since 1979 ; what are the titles of these projects and what was the duration and value of each project.

Mr. Hanley : These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994 :

1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking how many research projects relating to genetic engineering have been funded in universities and polytechnics by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since 1979, what are the titles of these projects and what was the duration and value of each project has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

2. A total of seven research projects relating to genetic engineering have been funded in universities and polytechnics by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since 1979. The details are as follows :


Title                                                      |Duration         

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gene probes for flaviruses                                 |3 years          

Plasmid stability in bacillus                              |3 years          

Genetic control of translational fidelity in yeast         |3 years          

Eukaryotic expression vectors                              |3" years         

Mapping of bacterial proteins                              |4 years          

Bacillus brevis for biosynthesis of heterogeneous proteins |3 years

3. The total value of these contracts was £1,059K ; it is not our normal practice to reveal the value of individual contracts as the disclosure of the value is left to the individual universities and polytechnics to make as they feel appropriate.

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which years Porton Down has tested (a) CR gas and (b) CS gas on service personnel in the human volunteer programme ; what was the purpose of these tests ; how the gas was administered to the volunteers in both cases ; what was the conclusion of these tests for each of the gases ; how many service volunteers were tested with each of the gases ; and where the results of these tests are published in open literature.

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Mr. Hanley : These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994 :

1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking in which years Porton Down has tested (a) CR gas and (b) CS gas on service personnel in the human volunteer programme ; what was the purpose of these tests ; how the gas was administered to the volunteers in both cases ; what was the conclusions of these tests for each of the gases ; how many service volunteers were tested with each of the gases ; and where the results of these tests are published in open literature has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment. 2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to use service volunteers :

(a) assess the ability of service personnel to function with new equipment and procedures,

(b) develop medical countermeasures to protect Service personnel and

(c) evaluate the effects of very low and medically safe concentrations of CW agents on the ability of unprotected personnel to operate normally.

3. Our records indicate that 460 Service volunteers were exposed to the irritant CS during the period 1959-1973 and 190 Service volunteers were exposed to CR during the period 1963-1976. 4. The purpose was to carry out skin and eye sensitivity tests, food palatability tests, physiological tests to determine the effects on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and exercise testing to determine the degree of incapacitation following exposure. The CS and CR was administered in controlled amounts in an exposure chamber or to the skin in the form of a solution.

5. Our records indicate that the results of the human volunteer programme involving CS and CR have been published in the open literature as listed in the Annex.

Open Literature Publications

The presentation and management of individuals contaminated with solutions of dibenzoxazepine (CR).

Ballantyne, B., Beswick, F. W. and Price Thomas, D.

Medicine, Science and the Law, 13, No. 4, October 1973. The cutaneous reactions produced by dibenzoxazepine (CR). Holland, P.

Brit. J. Derm (1974), 90, 657-659.

Effects on man of whole body drenches with dilute solutions of c- chlorobenzilidene malononitrile (CS) and dibenzoxazepine (CR). Ballantyne B, Gazzard M. F., Swanston D. W. and Williams P. Arch. Toxicol 34 183-201 (1975).

Riot control agents. Biomedical and health aspects of the use of chemicals in civil disturbances.

Ballantyne B.

Medical annual 1977.

Report of the enquiry into the Medical and Toxicological aspects of CS orthochlorobenzylidene malononitrile. Part I. Enquiry into the medical situation following the use of CS in Londonderry on 13th and 14th August 1969.

Himsworth Committee. October 1969. HMSO Cmnd 4173.

Report of the enquiry into the Medical and Toxicological aspects of CS, Part II. Enquiry into Toxicological aspects of CS and its uses for civil purposes.

Himsworth Committee. September 1971. HMSO Cmnd 4775.

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The effect of CS aerosol upon exercise, ventilation and cardiac frequency in healthy men.

Cotes J. E., Evans L. R., Johnson G., Martin H. de V. and Reed J. W.

J. Physiol, 222, 77-78, 1972.

Effect of CS aerosol upon Lung Gas Transfer and Alveolar Volume in Healthy Men.

Cotes J. E., Dabbs J. H., Evans M. R. and Holland P.

Q.JI. exp Physiol. (1972), 57, 199-206.

The cutaneous reactions produced by o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile and w -chloracetonphenone when applied directly to the skin of human subjects.

Holland P., and White R. G.

Br J. Derm (1972), 86, 150.

The palatability of food exposed to o-chlorobenzylidene malononitirile (CS).

Kemp, K. H. and Wilder W. B.

Medicine, Science and the Law, 12 No. 2, April 1972

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work Porton Down has carried out to assess benzimidazoles as an incapacitating agent ; when this work started and ended ; what was the conclusion of the work ; which and how many animals were tested during this work ; how many service volunteers were tested ; and where the results of the work were published in open literature.

Mr. Hanley : These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under their framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994 :

1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what work Porton Down has carried out to assess benzimidazoles as an incapacitating agent ; when this work started and ended ; what was the conclusion of the work ; which and how many animals were tested during this work ; how many service volunteers were tested ; and where the results of the work were published in open literature has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the numbers of staff and budget of the defence microbiology division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has increased or decreased since the division was set up ;

(2) what publications have been published by scientists in the defence microbiology division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since 1986 ; in which scientific journals they were published ; and on what date they were published ;

(3) what are the current priorities of the defence microbiology division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

Mr. Hanley : These matters are for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, under its framework

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document. I have asked the chief executive, to write to the hon. Member. There is also an annex listing research publications by scientists in the defence microbiology division, which will be placed in the Library.

Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 24 June 1994 :

1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what are the current priorities of the Defence Microbiology Division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, whether the numbers of staff and budget of the Defence Microbiology Division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has increased or decreased since the division was set up, what publications have been published by scientists in the Defence Microbiology Division of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since 1986 ; in which scientific journals they were published ; and on what date they were published have been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

2. The primary purpose of the Defence Microbiology Division at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down is to carry out work on defence against pathogenic micro-organisms and toxins that are assessed to present a threat to the United Kingdom Armed Forces. The work of this division contributes to the United Kingdom programme on chemical and biological defence which is aimed at ensuring that the United Kingdom Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them.

3. The current priorities of the Defence Microbiology Division are to investigate technologies for the rapid detection and identification of biological warfare agents and to investigate medical countermeasures against their use.

4. Since its establishment in 1979 the numbers of staff and budget of the Defence Microbiology Division have increased. Our records indicate that the research publications by scientists in the Defence Microbiology Division since 1986 are listed in the Annex.

Ministerial Visits

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the relationship between his answer of 29 March, Official Report , columns 732-33 , and his oral statement of 27 January, Official Report , column 444, regarding his visiting South Yorkshire.

Mr. Hanley : There seems to have been an error in the Official Report at column 444. As the hon. Member has been informed subsequently on a number of occasions, my visit of 27 January was to North Yorkshire.

Air Misses

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates, locations, aircraft types involved, altitude and determination of cause, for all category C air misses involving military aircraft over the United Kingdom in 1988 and 1989.

Mr. Hanley : I will arrange for a copy of the list of all category C air miss reports involving military aircraft over the United Kingdom in 1988 and 1989, which have been investigated by the joint air miss working group to be placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the action taken in response to the joint air miss working group recommendations in its report on air miss No. 46/93.

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Mr. Hanley : The national air traffic services in conjunction with the appropriate MOD staffs have taken the requisite actions called for by the joint air miss working group in its recommendations. No discrepancies or inaccuracies were found in the United Kingdom and NATO airborne early warning orders.

Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library brief descriptions of the circumstances of all category A air misses involving military aircraft for each year since 1989.

Mr. Hanley : Lists of all categories of air misses involving military aircraft since 1988 have recently been placed in the Library of the House. Since that time, there have been a further three category A air misses, details of which will be placed in the Library shortly. The lists detail the date, location, risk category, aircraft type and descriptions of the cause.

Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on (a) the category A air miss 159/93 on 2 November 1993 between a Jet Ranger 206 helicopter and an RAF Tornado, (b) the category B air miss 148/93 on 18 October 1993 between a Jet Ranger 206 helicopter and an RAF Tucano and (c) the category C air miss 151/93 on 12 October 1993 between a Jet Ranger 206 helicopter and an RAF Tornado.

Mr. Hanley : All reported air misses are investigated by the joint air miss working group--JAWG. The reports of the investigations into these three incidents will be included in the next JAWG "Analysis of Airmisses in the UK" due to be published in the autumn. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House in the usual way.

Royal Air Force (Bosnia)

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the current interval between assignments to duties over Bosnia for Royal Air Force airborne warning and communication system crews ; and what deferments of AWACS crew training tasks have taken place as a result of meeting commitments to providing crews for Bosnian operations ;

(2) what are the current (a) planned and (b) actual intervals between deployments for operational duties over Bosnia, northern Iraq and southern Iraq, for individual members of aircrew in (a) Tornado GR1/1A squadrons, (b) Tornado F3 squadrons, (c) Harrier squadrons, (d) Jaguar squadrons and (e) Royal Navy Sea Harrier squadrons ; and for what period of time aircrew are assigned to these duties on each occasion.

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