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Gulf War Syndrome

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of recent evidence from the USA on the correlation between chemical cocktails and Gulf War Syndrome. [126043]

Mr. Spellar: I will assume my hon. Friend is referring to the research undertaken by Dr. Abou-Donia of Duke University, North Carolina, which was mentioned in a recent BBC radio programme. Dr. Abou-Donia examined the interaction of Pyridostigmine Bromide (PB), (the active ingredient of Nerve Agent Pre-treatment Sets tablets) with permethrin and DEET (N-Diethyl-m-toluamide), two non-organophasphate pesticides used during the 1990-91 Gulf Conflict. Dr. Abou-Donia published his findings in an article entitled, "Neurotoxicity Resulting from Coexposure to Pyridostigmine Bromide, DEET and Permethrin: Implications of Gulf War Chemical Exposures" in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health in April 1996. The research had a number of significant limitations: the doses administered to the animal subjects were in quantities and in a manner very different from that which Service personnel may have experienced; there were no data to support the suggestion that PB inhibits the metabolism of DEET and permethrin; the dosage route and schedule of administration of chemicals were different to those Service personnel may have experienced; and the toxicities experienced by animals were acute in nature whereas many veterans' health concerns have emerged months, or more, after their service in the Gulf.

A further study addressing the interaction of PB and DEET entitled "Acute effects of an Insect Repellent, N, N-Diethal-m-toluamide, on Cholinesterase Inhibition Induced by Pryidostigmine Bromide in Rats" by Chaney et al from the University of Mississippi Medical Center was published on 1 June 2000. I will write to my hon. Friend once my Department has reached a considered view of this work and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Defence Electronic Commerce Service

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will announce the placement of a contract for the Defence Electronic Commerce Service IT system. [124797]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 7 June 2000]: I announced on 30 May that Cap Gemini Ernst & Young has been selected as the preferred supplier of the Defence Electronic Commerce Service to the MOD. Subject to a successful conclusion to negotiations, we hope to place a contract under PPP arrangements, and commence delivery of the service, in early July.

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Sea Harrier Aircraft

Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what replacement air to surface ship strike capability he plans to procure for Sea Harrier aircraft. [125082]

Mr. Spellar [holding answer 8 June 2000]: There are no plans to procure a replacement air to surface ship strike capability for Sea Harrier aircraft.

UAVs

Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Army's original inventory was of Phoenix UAVs; what the current inventory is; and what plans he has to procure (a) further Phoenix UAVs and (b) next generation UAV systems for the armed forces. [125704]

Mr. Spellar: Nine complete Pheonix systems with 198 Air Vehicle Taxis (ACTs) and 198 Air Vehicle Pods (AVPs) were originally purchased for the Army. Currently the Army has nine systems, 177 AVTs and 182 AVPs. There is currently no plan to procure further Pheonix AVTs or AVPs. We propose to let contracts in the near future to examine possible solutions for delivering the future tactical UAV capability.

Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the purchase cost is of each of the Army's Phoenix UAVs; how many Phoenix UAVs were lost in operations during the Kosovo campaign; when the Phoenix UAVs entered into (a) trials and (b) operational service with the Army; and how many Phoenix UAVs have been lost since they have been in operational service. [125703]

Mr. Spellar: The contract for Phoenix UAVs was awarded in 1985 on a firm price basis. The cost of the individual UAVs was £164,000 plus VAT, exclusive of design and development costs.

Ten Phoenix UAVs were lost or destroyed during operations in support of the Kosovo campaign in 1999. A further three UAVs have since been lost during operations in Kosovo in 2000.

Phoenix UAVs entered into trials with the Army in the early nineties. These were completed in July 1997. Phoenix was formally accepted into service in December 1998.

Over 200 missions have been flown in the 18 months since Phoenix entered service. During this period a total of 16 Phoenix UAVs have been lost or destroyed (13 during operations and three in training).

Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) Phoenix UAVs used by UK forces and (b) UAVs utilised by other NATO nations during the Kosovo campaign. [125705]

Mr. Spellar: Operational reports have indicated that Phoenix is effective as a general reconnaissance and surveillance system. Its real-time imagery capability proved of considerable benefit in a wide variety of tasks including campaign analysis and safe surveillance over and beyond suspected mined areas. Detailed assessment of the system is continuing.

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The utility and effectiveness of the Phoenix system in 1999 was recognised by the headquarters of KFOR, who asked for the system to return to theatre, which it did in May this year.

It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the effectiveness of equipment used by our Allies.

Sierra Leone (Malaria)

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he was first informed that armed forces personnel contracted malaria in Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [126057]

Mr. Hoon [holding answer 15 June 2000]: I was first informed on 26 May that Service personnel deployed to Sierra Leone had contracted malaria. At that time, there were seven confirmed cases among personnel who had deployed there.

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops deployed to Sierra Leone returning to the UK have so far been diagnosed as having signs of malaria; and if he will make a statement. [125190]

Mr. Hoon [holding answer 9 June 2000]: As of 12 June, 27 cases of malaria had been confirmed among the 4,500 personnel who had been deployed to Sierra Leone; a further three unconfirmed cases had been admitted to hospital for investigation. No anti-malaria tablet guarantees 100 per cent. protection: mefloquine, the preferred anti-malaria drug for the Sierra Leone region, is estimated to afford only 90-95 per cent. protection against malaria. In West Africa, where rates of transmission for malaria are far higher than in any other region, some cases of malaria are to be expected. Therefore the number of cases confirmed are within the medically expected numbers.

Former Personnel (Private Sector Employment)

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the conditions that apply to senior officials from his Department applying to join private sector companies. [126021]

Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on former personnel of the Defence Procurement Agency and Defence Clothing and Textile Agency joining commercial organisations with which they had dealings as civil servants. [126208]

Dr. Moonie: Under the Cabinet Office rules on the acceptance of outside appointments by Crown servants, all Ministry of Defence non-industrial civilian staff and officers in the Armed Forces are required, within two years of leaving the Department, to apply for permission before taking up employment with an organisation connected with their official duties or with a foreign government or foreign publicly-owned organisation. In addition, senior officials are required under these rules to apply for permission to take up any paid employment on leaving the Department.

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) senior Ministry of Defence officials and (b) officials from his Department's procurement organisation have joined private sector companies in the last five years. [126020]

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Dr. Moonie: Under the Cabinet Office rules on the acceptance of outside appointments by Crown servants, all Ministry of Defence non-industrial civilian staff and officers in the Armed Forces are required, within two years of leaving the Department, to apply for permission before taking up employment with an organisation connected with their official duties. The rules only require senior officials whose applications are approved by the Prime Minister to confirm that they have taken up a new appointment on leaving the Ministry of Defence. Records of applications form such officials are only readily available from 1 January 1998, which show that 14 have notified Ministry of Defence that they have taken up appointments in the private sector.

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