Questions are to be asked in the Commons about the sale to children of Government surplus chemical warfare kits as Dr Who toys. Some of the kits contain yellow tablets known to have cancer forming properties.
Mr Nell Marten, Conservative MP (or Banbury, said yesterday that he was appalled that the Ministry of Defence had put the kits on the market without strict supervision. "I shall see the Speaker first thing on Tuesday morning."
He was also appalled by the delay in stopping further sales through surplus stores.
Headmasters in Oxfordshire have been asked to warn children about the dangers. The warning was contained in a letter last Friday from the county's Director of Education. The kits are known to have been on sale In Oxford last November; earlier this year a headmaster expressed concern about them to the police.
A police spokesman said "WS Supplies as Cowley Centre and George Street the only known suppliers :II the Oxford area, were advised immediately the matter came to the attention of the police. They cooperated and withdrew all stocks of the offending substance."
In April. Mr M. D. J. lasses, a principal scientific officer at the Home Office laboratory at MderM8StOr), described the sewing of the kits to children as irresponsible. It should be discontinued as soon as possible. A report by Thames Valley police dated May 8 was sent to the Home Office, the Ministry of Defence, and medical officers of health in Oxfordshire, Berk. shire, Buckinghamshire. Oxford and Reading.
The kits were originally used for testing the presence of nerve, mustard, and other gases. They were auctioned at a Ministry of Defence surplus sale at the Central Ordnance Depot, Biceister.
Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org
