Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British service personnel have died as a direct result of (a) voluntary and (b) involuntary participation in experimental tests using (i) chemical weapon agents, (ii) biological weapon agents, (iii) psychoactive pharmaceutical agents and (iv) radioactive materials in the last 30 years.

Only a single member of the UK Armed Forces has died as the direct result of participation in experimental tests carried out at Porton Down on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

On 6 May 1953 Leading Aircraftsman Ronald George Maddison died from the effects of asphyxia after taking part in a trial involving a chemical weapon agent at the then Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment at Porton Down. The death was reported to Parliament on 9 June 1953.