Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has sparked anger among North-East Gulf War veterans by denying any link between depleted uranium and cancer.

Campaigners including The Journal are calling for an end to the cover-up over Gulf War Syndrome in an effort to recover proper compensation for its victims.

Inquiries into the illnesses suffered by veterans and their possible causes are continuing but one factor is thought to be soldiers' exposure to depleted uranium (DU) on the battlefield.

Labour's manifesto says: "We will look after the interests of Britain's war veterans. We have doubled funding for research on Gulf War illness and will continue this important work."

But speaking on a campaign visit to the region yesterday, Mr Hoon played down the issue, saying: "There is no evidence at all to link Gulf War vets to any specific cancer or leukaemia."

He said a Royal Society report this week had confirmed this conclusion when it said DU was of no significant health risk to soldiers, though the research has been questioned by campaigners.

Studies are also going on into whether pesticides or anti-chemical warfare drugs may have been responsible for Gulf War illnesses.

Mr Hoon said: "We are developing a programme that is being discussed with the Royal Society. We want to make sure that this programme satisfies those who have served in Her Majesty's Armed Forces."

But George Parker, 42, from Newcastle, a disabled veteran diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome, said the proposals to investigate the links between DU contamination and illness was based on a "don't look, don't see" basis.

Mr Parker, vice-chairman of the National Gulf Veterans and Families Association, said: "They are not looking for depleted uranium but total uranium, which after 10 years will not indicate the amount of exposure veterans had."

Depleted uranium is a radioactive waste product of the enrichment process carried out to provide fuel for nuclear power plants. Because it is so hard, having twice the density of lead, it is used to tip armour-piercing shells and built into the armour of tanks and other military vehicles.

Mr Hoon was speaking at Wallsend shipbuilder Swan Hunter, where he defended Labour's record on supporting the industry.

The yard recently won the MoD contract to build two Alternative Landing Ship Logistic vessels which along with an order to build a floating oil production and storage facility for US oil giant Kerr McGee means work for more than 1,500 until 2004.

Mr Hoon said: "What I am seeing here is the result of decisions made in London by the MoD. I see the tremendous investment that is going on both in physical terms but more importantly in skills and young people."

He said the contracts would make Swan Hunter more competitive and well placed to win future defence contracts - and there was "a huge warships order programme." But Cammell Laird has not been so lucky and this year went into receivership.

The Hebburn yard was among disappointed bidders when the MoD contract to build six roll-on roll-off ferries went abroad last October.

Yesterday Mr Hoon said the contract had been decided "purely on competitive grounds" and according to EU regulations.