Gulf War Syndrome inquiry announced
The parliamentary advisor to the Royal British Legion has announced an inquiry into the existence or otherwise of Gulf War Syndrome.
Lord Morris said at the weekend he has set up an inquiry team headed by former Law Lord, Lord Lloyd of Berwick.
Other members of the team are believed to include Dr Norman Jones from St Thomas’ Hospital and Sir Michael Davies, formerly Clerk of the Parliaments.
Lord Lloyd’s inquiry is likely to provide a political dilemma for the Government.
He is likely to call both current and ex Ministers to give evidence and, though they are not obliged to appear, refusal could be politically damaging.
The Government has previously said that they are not “ruling out” a public inquiry into Gulf War Syndrome, but have conspicuously refused to back such an inquiry.
Earlier in June the Defence Minister Ivor Caplin stressed that the Government was spending large amounts of money on researching the medical evidence.
He told the BBC: “I haven’t ruled out holding a public inquiry, but I think it’s important that at the present time we allow the independent research by the Medical Research Council to take its full and proper course.
“That’s why we’re spending in the region of £8.5 million – at least £8.5 million – on this piece of research and working with international partners, to look at the research that is going on in other countries.”
Gulf War Syndrome is an umbrella term covering officially untraceable illnesses suffered by veterans of the 1991 conflict in Iraq.
Some veterans claim that illnesses, ranging from osteoporosis, cancer and psychological problems, suffered after the conflict are directly linked to their service in Iraq.
Variously claimed explanations for the illnesses range from exposure to burning oil wells, organophosphates and a cocktail of vaccinations given before the invasion.
Despite some circumstantial evidence being available to support many of the above, conclusive evidence for what – if anything – Gulf War Syndrome is continues to evade the medical establishment.
Some have even argued that it is simply a manifestation of post-traumatic stress disorder.
It is not yet clear how the inquiry will be funded, but The Guardian suggests that it will be paid for by anonymous donations.
Liberal Democrat MP Paul Tyler, a member of the Royal British Legion Gulf War Group, welcomed news of the inquiry.
Mr Tyler said: “British troops have suffered from their service in the Gulf. Those who put their lives on the line for their country deserve better. All our efforts on their behalf, in Parliament and outside, have been met with a miserable mixture of official complacency and buck-passing.
“It is disgraceful that the Legion have had to pick up this responsibility, but at least the veterans will now know that the inquiry will be truly independent.”
