§ Mr. Patrick Jenkinasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when he anticipates introducing the legislation to extend the statutory powers of the Microbiological Research Establishment, Porton; and what changes in the law he intends to introduce;
(2) if he will set out in the Official Report the purposes for which the Microbiological Research Establishment, Porton, will exist when it becomes a civil establishment.
§ Mr. EnnalsThe future of the Microbiological Research Establishment, Porton, as a civil establishment has been reviewed in terms of scientific capabilities by a committee of the Medical Research Council. The Government broadly accept its proposals for a reduced scale of activity. Detailed programmes are to be the subject of study by the Ministry of Defence, which retains responsibility for the Microbiological Research Establishment for the time being, the Public Health Laboratory Service Board, which it is intended will assume management responsibility from 1st April 1979, and my Department. The timing and extent of the necessary legislation, which I intend to introduce as soon as conveniently possible, will depend to some extent on the outcome of this study, but I would hope that any changes in the law would be short and uncontroversial.
Under the National Health Service Act 1977 the Public Health Laboratory Service Board may exercise such functions with respect to the administration of the public health laboratory service as I may determine. The public health laboratory service provided under the Act consists of the provision of a microbiological service for the control of the spread of infectious diseases, and much of the civilian work at present carried out at MRE could therefore be continued under the new arrangements without the necessity for legislative change. But certain manufacturing and other activities, particularly those connected with microbiological products, at present carried out at Porton, could not be said to relate to the administration of the public health laboratory service, and additional powers are therefore required.