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Defence

About Defence

Gulf Veterans’ Illnesses

Gulf Veterans’ illnesses issues remain a priority for the Government. We are committed to research aimed at improving the long term health of those veterans with persistent symptoms.

In addition to the stresses associated with preparation for, and participation in, armed conflict, UK Service personnel in the 1990/1991 Gulf Conflict may potentially have experienced a number of health challenges, including those from terrain; endemic infections; climate; and the threat of chemical and biological warfare agents. In addition, there was unprecedented media interest and speculation in relation to all aspects of the campaign, including health issues.

We have always accepted that some 1990/1991 Gulf veterans have become ill and that this ill health may be related to their Gulf experience. Epidemiological research has shown that Gulf veterans report more illness than those who were not deployed to the Gulf, but the patterns of symptoms are similar to those experienced by personnel who did not deploy, and overall severity of the symptoms is not high.

UK Position On Gulf War Syndrome

Whilst we acknowledge that the phrase “Gulf War Syndrome” has become quite widespread in popular usage, the overwhelming consensus of the scientific and medical community is that there are too many different symptoms reported for this ill-health to be characterised as a syndrome in medical terms. The Government was pleased to note that a Pensions Appeal Tribunal (PAT) in 2005 supported our position on this issue.

The PAT also stated that Gulf War Syndrome was a “useful umbrella term” to cover accepted conditions which are causally linked to the 1990/1991 Gulf Conflict. The Minister for Veterans published a Written Statement in the House of Commons on 24 November 2005 (Official Report, Column 128WS – 129WS) welcoming this development. We hope that the use of the umbrella term will address the known concern of some Gulf veterans that we have not recognised a link between their ill-health and the 1990/1991 Gulf Conflict. We hope that this will help to provide an element of closure for those who have sought some acknowledgment that their ill-health is connected to their Gulf service.