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Porton Down victims awarded £3m
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BBC
February 1, 2008
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to award £3m in compensation to 360 veterans of Cold War experiments at the Porton Down research centre.
Defence minister Derek Twigg said: “The government sincerely apologises to those who may have been affected.”
The money is “in full and final settlement” of claims and without admission of liability, Mr Twigg added.
Many of those given nerve agents in the trials at the Wiltshire complex have complained of life-long ill health.
The servicemen were often told they were helping to find a cure for the common cold.
The settlement in the long-running dispute between the government and victims of the trial was “amicable” and the “best result”, Mr Twigg added.
Nazi research
Alan Care, the lawyer who has acted for many veterans over the past decade, said: “I think this is a good deal for them
“A lot of veterans wanted the apology – the money was an add-on. I would commend the MoD at this point, be it late in the day.
“The government is facing up to its Cold War past.”
He said there was “100% unanimous” acceptance of the deal, and rejected claims some veterans had been pressured into it.
Ken Earl, survivor and founder of the 536-member Porton Down Veterans’ Support Group, said: “I am pleased that at long last there has been a settlement.
The 74-year-old added: “It will allow our members to have a degree of closure on this issue and get on with their lives.
“But from the money point of view it should have been a lot more. It’s not even half the price of a tank by today’s standards.”
Mr Twigg said: “The government accepts that there were aspects of the trials where there may have been shortcomings and, where, in particular, the life or health of participants may have been put at risk.
“The Ministry of Defence is grateful to all those whose participation in studies at Porton Down made possible the research to provide safe and effective protection for UK Armed Forces.”
He said any veterans unhappy with the £8,000 individual settlement could also apply for compensation under the War Pensions’ scheme.
Between 1939 and 1989, hundreds of servicemen took part in experiments at Porton Down.
Many were given forms of the sarin nerve agent developed by the Nazis in World War II and say they have suffered a lifetime of ill-health as a result.
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