IN the last few days, I have helped to launch two charity appeals that will deliver much-needed emergency aid to the Iraqi people, one in London on behalf of Islamic Relief, and the other in Bolton on behalf of Human Appeal International (UK).

I hope that Bolton people will give generously to such appeals, as they have always done in similar situations previously.

I have been campaigning on behalf of a Kearsley constituent on Gulf War illnesses, including participating in a recent debate in the House of Commons. On March 25, I met senior representatives of the Royal British Legion, and Lewis Moonie, the Defence Minister, along with a small number of Labour colleagues. We sought and received assurances that all possible measures were taken before our troops left for the Gulf to avoid them becoming sick and, should any fall ill on their return, that they will receive immediate help. Each war produces a different set of illnesses, depending on the experiences of the troops.

On March 19, I helped to launch a debate in the House of Commons on behalf of the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Experiments (FRAME), a charity that develops alternatives to animal experiments in medicine in a small laboratory at Nottingham University. During the last 20 years, the number of animal experiments has been reduced by over 50 per cent thanks to public pressure, which resulted in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

The testing of cosmetics on animals has been eliminated in the UK, and the infamous LD50 (increasing doses of a chemical administered to a group of animals, usually 10 rats or mice, until half the group is dead) and Draize (for testing the sensitivity of eyes to chemicals) tests have been replaced by non-animal tests.

However, the proposed European Chemicals Directive, which requires all chemicals that may come into human contact to be tested, to produce a basic set of safety data, and the Human Genome Project, which is expected to lead to the discovery of hundreds of new medicines for tackling genetic diseases, will increase the demand for animal testing. Therefore, the discovery of more alternative methods to animal testing is now becoming urgent.

My advice surgeries are on the first Saturday of each month at 10.30am in Farnworth Town Hall (rear entrance) and on the third Friday of every month at 4.30pm in Bolton Town Hall (Dido Suite). Ring Karen (371202) or visit my web site at www.brianiddonmp.org.uk for further information and news.