§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what biological or biologically derived samples have been supplied by the Defence and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down to(a) USA, (b) France, (c) Belgium, (d) Sweden, (e) Australia, (f) Germany, (g) Austria, (h) Spain, (i) Netherlands, (j) Norway, (k) Italy, (l) Japan and (m) Canada since 1990. [11502]
§ Dr. MoonieSince 1990 the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down has supplied in excess of one hundred biological or biologically derived materials to these countries for medical and veterinary research purposes.
The majority of this material has been supplied under International Collaboration Research agreements relating to biological detection capability and potential medical countermeasures. However, it would not be appropriate to publish a list of the biological material supplied to these countries as this could reveal operational capabilities and deficiencies. I am therefore withholding this information in the interests of National Security under category 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.