A PORTON Down veteran from Chippenham has slammed a new document on chemical tests carried out at the MOD base.

Ian Foulkes was exposed to Sarin nerve gas at the Salisbury Plain base in 1983 as a 19-year-old soldier after being told there were no risks involved. He is a member of the Porton Down Veterans' Support Group campaigning for a public inquiry into the way they claim servicemen were duped into taking part in the experiments.

In July the Crown Prosecution Service announced there was not enough evidence to prosecute the scientists involved in the tests despite a £2m investigation by Wiltshire Police. Veterans strongly dispute this and Mr Foulkes marched 100 miles from the base to Downing Street in September to highlight their cause.

Last week the CPS sent veterans a document admitting that 3,000 servicemen were given nerve gas and a further 6,000 tested with mustard gas at the base. In total more than 20,000 military staff underwent experiments.

The CPS says the aim of the 49-page report is to explain why the scientists involved will not face charges due to a lack of evidence.

But Mr Foulkes, whose complaints are detailed in the document, says it fails to provide sufficient justification for the decision.

He said: "I am very disappointed in it. To my mind it raises more questions than it answers.

"I know the Government would just like all the veterans to crawl away and not embarrass them further. But I can tell you we will keep fighting."