BRIAN TYLDESLEY (D&S Times, Jul 24) again raises important matters around the toxic issue of the drug Laraim, which for many years was routinely administered to military personnel serving in malarial areas.

I applaud his persistence and share the frustration at the dismissive and evasive response to the question he posed to the MoD through our constituency MP, Rishi Sunak.

Mr Tyldesley and Mr Sunak are, sadly, the latest victims of ministerial and departmental dissembling which results in Russian Roulette being played with the lives and welfare of our soldiers. Not only is the MoD incompetent for not looking into the use of Laraim, the institution and a number of its personnel, both suited and in uniform, have been grossly negligent.

This is a matter that affects many of Mr Sunak’s constituents, especially those in Catterick Garrison. He might note that many of the case studies involving debilitating Lariam side-effects were former residents of the Garrison. While I hope that he will not be put off by the systemic evasion and untruths of ministers and civil servants, I suspect that, like many others, he will be pressed not to look too closely at this scandal. Hopefully, he will be able to muster the courage.

Your readers might be interested to learn that since at least 2009 every Secretary of State for Defence has been made aware of this problem and each has indulged variously in tactics aimed at suppressing the matter and avoiding responsibility. I find it profoundly disappointing that this approach, perhaps characteristic of politicians, now pervades the upper echelons of the armed forces.

Our service personnel deserve much better.

Lt Col (retd) Andrew Marriott, Great Smeaton.