Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Morris of Manchester (Labour). It was answered on Tuesday, 10 March 2009.

Gulf War Illnesses

Question: My Lords, I share the gratitude of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd of Berwick, to my noble friend, but whatever happened to the peer reviewing of the research-based decision taken by the United States Government several years ago to accept motor neurone disease as a Gulf War-related illness, while the widows of British veterans of the conflict who have died of the condition still await parity?

Answer: My Lords, the House will be aware that the system for claiming support and medical help in the United States is very different from that which appertains in this country, and, indeed, veterans cannot get help with support or indeed with medical care unless they are able to give a name to an illness. The evidence that we have shows that of the age group that we are talking about, five people who have had Gulf War syndrome have died of motor neurone disease. In a similar norm in the whole community, the figure would be slightly higher. So I do not think that as yet we have any evidence to suggest that it is a causal link.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 708 c1056
Session: 2008-09
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Related items: Deposited Paper DEP2009-1684
Monday, 15 June 2009
Deposited papers
House of Lords
Subjects: Armed forces Chemical weapons Health hazards Iraq-Kuwait conflict Protection Preventive medicine Gulf War syndrome Organophosphates US Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk