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Gulf War Illnesses

Answer

The noble Lord wrote to me on 1 October 2007, providing copies of two letters from Professor Hooper. In a letter dated 26 September, Professor Hooper indicated that he felt there had been prevarication over the implementation of individual appeals that had been determined by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal. He suggested, too, that the use of ““Gulf War Syndrome”” as an umbrella term to cover any recognised medical condition caused by service and connected to the 1990-91 Gulf conflict was an attempt to evade our responsibility to Gulf veterans described as suffering signs and symptoms of ill-defined conditions (SSIDC). The Government do not accept these points. The Ministry of Defence provides compensation for all accepted injuries or illnesses due to service. The department acts in good faith to give effect to the individual decisions of the Pensions Appeal Tribunal. As has been made clear on many previous occasions, the Government accept that some people are ill due to their service in the Gulf and compensate wherever there is disablement attributed to or aggravated by service, and this may include SSIDC. Our responsibility for Gulf veterans whose SSIDC is accepted as due to service is recognised by the award of a war pension; this is unaffected by any specific use of the term ““Gulf War Syndrome””. Professor Hooper also suggested that MoD-sponsored research into cancers among Gulf veterans was flawed because it would not have picked up early diagnosis. This is incorrect; the study*, which found no excess of cancer among veterans, employed the records of the NHS central register and analysed data from 1 April 1991. In a letter dated 24 September, Professor Hooper referred to my Answer of 1 October 2007 (Official Report, col. WA 222) on motor neurone disease. A written reply will be sent in due course. A copy of Professor Hooper's letter and the department's reply will be placed in the Library of the House. "* Macfarlane G et al. Incidence of cancer among UK Gulf war veterans: cohort study. British Medical Journal, 13 December 2003, Vol 327, p1373."

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

5409; 695 c183-4WA

Session

2006-07

Related items

Gulf War Illnesses
Monday, 1 October 2007
Written questions
House of Lords

Gulf War Illnesses
Monday, 1 October 2007
Written questions
House of Lords

Subjects

Appeals Cancer Iraq-Kuwait conflict Motor neurone disease War pensions Gulf War syndrome Pensions Appeal Tribunal Veterans

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk