A FORMER soldier who fell ill after receiving two doses of Gulf War vaccinations today said the Government's new "action plan" should include an independent inquiry.

Blackburn College lecturer Martin Topp was speaking after armed forces minister John Reid announced new moves to tackle the problems of Gulf-related illnesses.

Mr Topp, a career-soldier, medically discharged after years of service, claims he developed a rare haemophilia-like blood disorder after being wrongly given two controversial inoculations.

Mr Topp, 34, of Leyland, welcomed the MoD move, but said any investigations would be "useless" unless they were carried out by an independent, non-government organisation.

He added: "If it is an independent study by an individual organisation, I think it might do some good.

"But if the research is simply be carried out by government staff, I do not think it will take us any further. I am already aware that documents and facts have a habit of 'going missing'. "Any investigation must also take in to account the fact that these drugs were never authorised for use on humans or tested."

New resources are to be made available to both pay for extra research and cut the backlog of veterans waiting to be seen by MoD doctors.

The investigation will examine the possible side-effects of the combination of vaccines and drugs British forces took as protection against Iraqi chemical and biological weapons.

Mr Reid said: "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."

About 1,000 Gulf veterans have so far been examined by the MoD's medical team.

Mr Topp is awaiting an appointment to see a blood specialist before continuing with his plans to sue the MoD.

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