Written question asked by Brian Iddon (Labour) on Tuesday, 29 October 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 7 November 2002. It was answered by Adam Ingram (Labour) on Thursday, 7 November 2002 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the incidence of reduced blood levels of the paraoxenase enzyme in Gulf War veterans.

Answer: Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the incidence of reduced blood levels of the paraoxenase enzyme in Gulf War veterans. [78606] Mr. Ingram MP: A non-Ministry of Defence funded study published in September 2000 showed that when compared to a control group of some selected civilians who were well, self-selected ill United Kingdom Gulf veterans had: (a) a lower concentration of paraoxonase and (b) its activity was less than 50 per cent. of that found in the control group. The level of paraoxonase found showed little variation among the Gulf veterans studied and no link to the severity of symptoms or to genetic composition was identified. The Ministry of Defence has since part-funded a study to confirm, or otherwise, the earlier findings which includes United Kingdom Gulf veterans, Bosnia veterans and non- deployed veterans. The study is complete and it is expected that the results will be published in a peer- reviewed scientific journal.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 392 c454W;392 c466W; 78606
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Armed forces Diagnosis Blood Health Iraq-Kuwait conflict Gulf War syndrome Veterans
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk