HC Deb 30 October 1984 vol 65 c929W
Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which universities and polytechnics have Ministry of Defence contracts for chemical warfare research.

Mr. Lee

All research sponsored by the Ministry of Defence in this field is concerned solely with defence against attack by chemical means. Research agreements for chemical defence work have been placed over past years with a number of universities and polytechnics. It is not our policy to give details of these contracts.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed in chemical and biological warfare research in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Lee

United Kingdom research in the fields of chemical and biological warfare is concerned solely with defence against attack by such means. Such research is the principal task of the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down, which employs about 600 people.