Inquiry into 'Gulf syndrome'

Defence chiefs are today expected to announce moves to step up investigations into so-called Gulf war syndrome.

After intense cross-party pressure, ministers are believed to come down in favour of an inquiry into deformities among children born to Gulf veterans.

More than 70 former service personnel claim there could be a link between the cocktail of vaccinations and anti-nerve agents they took to protect themselves against chemical and biological attack and deformities in their offspring. Some have been born with limb defects, heart deformities and some have had vital organs missing. A number of couples have blamed miscarriages or the need for abortions on Gulf service.

The expected move follows a top-level meeting between defence chiefs and a team of medical specialists last week.

Labour defence spokesman, Dr John Reid, said: "A partial inquiry into any single aspect of the problem will be welcome, but only as a first step towards the full inquiry that our veterans deserve. For too long the Government has tried to ignore this issue. It looks as though it has now found the strength of professional and medical opinion too great to resist."