Written question asked by Lord Morris of Manchester (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Drayson (Labour) on Monday, 1 October 2007.

Gulf War Illnesses

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they accept recent Pensions Appeal Tribunal decisions on ““Gulf War syndrome”” that this is the right label in cases where symptoms or signs have been accepted, as a matter of fact, as causally related to service during the Gulf theatre of operations but cannot be explained by some established pathology and that, in such cases, an award of ““Gulf War syndrome”” by a tribunal is not merely an umbrella label.

Answer: The Pensions Appeal Tribunal (PAT) is a statutory tribunal that determines individual veterans' appeals against decisions made by the Ministry of Defence in relation to War Pensions claims. The Government accept that once a decision of the Ministry of Defence has properly been referred to the PAT and the tribunal has decided that case—unless the Secretary of State for Defence has appealed it—the PAT's decision in that case is final and conclusive and must be implemented. Recent decisions by the PAT therefore either have been, or are being, implemented accordingly. The Government's policy, which has not changed, remains that where appropriate the term ““Gulf War syndrome”” should be used as an umbrella term covering any recognised medical condition caused by service and connected to service in the 1990-91 Gulf conflict.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 5241; 694 c221-2WA
Session: 2006-07
Related items: Gulf War Illnesses
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Written questions
House of Lords; Gulf War Illnesses
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Written questions
House of Lords
Notes: Answer received between Monday 10 September and Friday 14 September 2007.
Subjects: Appeals Armed conflict Iraq-Kuwait conflict War pensions Gulf War syndrome Pensions Appeal Tribunal Veterans
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk