Written question asked by Valerie Davey (Labour) on Wednesday, 6 December 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 12 December 2000. It was answered by Lord Spellar (Labour) on Tuesday, 12 December 2000 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will set up an independent research project to evaluate the health effects of low dose radiation from insoluble particles of ceramic uranium trapped in the lungs and trachea bronchial lymph nodes.

Answer: Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set up an independent research project to evaluate the health effects of low-dose radiation from insoluble particles of ceramic uranium trapped in the lungs and trachea bronchial lymph nodes. [141951] Mr. Spellar: While the Ministry of Defence will continue to consider carefully research proposals which bear on its activities, we have no plans to add to the extensive research conducted over many years into the effects of uranic materials on the body. Not only was uranium biokinetics the subject of a major review by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) in 1995, but the ICRP has also published a series of studies addressing the risks to lymph nodes from inhaled radioactive materials, the development of systemic models for uranium and the calculation of dose coefficients based on various lung and systemic models for Uranium.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 359 c70W;359 c68W; 141951
Session: 2000-01
Subjects: Armed forces Health hazards Iraq-Kuwait conflict Medical examinations Research Gulf War syndrome Uranium Veterans
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk