BRITAIN'S new Labour Government has announced plans for more research into Gulf War Syndrome.
The Minister for the Armed Forces, Mr John Reid, promised that the health and welfare of servicemen and women would be a top priority for the government. "We have an obligation to investigate sympathetically and thoroughly any illness suffered by those who have served their country and to provide all the resources necessary to treat them," Mr Reid said in a statement.
Making good on an election promise of a fair deal to Gulf War veterans, Mr Reid said one of the first measures of the four point plan would be to invite veterans and their representatives to meet him.
Veterans claim that evidence gathered in the US supports the theory that a "cocktail" of immunisations to protect them from chemical and biological warfare and pesticides may be responsible for health problems.
"No stone must be left unturned and I have today authorised an investigation into the consequences for the health of our service personnel of the combination of vaccines and tablets they took during the Gulf War, so that all possibilities are considered," Mr Reid added.
The government has also asked for a full explanation of the scientific basis on which the preventative measures were used during the Gulf War in 1991 following Iraq's seizure of Kuwait, and plans to increase funding into a medical assessment programme to ensure that all veterans can be seen by doctors quickly.
The Conservative government had been reluctant to recognise Gulf War Syndrome, insisting there was no single cause to explain the illnesses.
Veterans welcomed the latest government initiatives. "It's absolutely great. They have stuck to their election promises. This is going to make a big impact," said Mr Tony Flint, spokesman for the National Gulf Veterans and Families' Association.
"For the past four years we felt like we were hitting our heads against a brick wall, now that wall has collapsed. We hope the MoD (Ministry of Defence) will take notice of research done in America and carry on from that point," he added.
About 51,000 Britons served in the Gulf War and up to 4,000 veterans and their families have illnesses. Some are restricted to wheelchairs and others say their children have been born with serious birth defects.