HC Deb 15 July 1993 vol 228 cc636-7W
Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many committees are run by the Chemical and Biological Defence Board of the Defence Scientific Advisory Council; what are the titles of each committee; how long each committee has existed; how many people sit on each committee; and how many of these people are from universities and institutions of higher education.

Mr. Hanley

The Chemical and Biological Defence Board of the Defence Scientific Advisory Council has three committees reporting to it. These are:

  1. (i) The Biomedical Sciences Committee which has been in existence since 1 January 1992 and has nine members of whom seven are from universities and institutions of higher education.
  2. (ii) The Microbiology and Biotechnology Committee which has been in existence since 1 January 1992 and has nine members of whom five are from universities and institutions of higher education.
  3. (iii) The Physical Sciences Committee which has been in existence since 1 January 1981 and has 10 members all of whom are from universities of higher education.

Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times the Government have reviewed their policy concerning the production of (a) chemical weapons and (b) biological weapons since 1979; and how many times United Kingdom Defence Ministers have discussed this policy with the Defense Secretaries of the United States Government during that time.

Mr. Hanley

The United Kingdom abandoned its offensive biological capability after the second world war and its offensive chemical capability in the 1950s and that remains the Government's policy. Since then the United Kingdom's policy has concentrated on implementation of an effective defence against the use of such weapons and international agreements on their control, destruction and eventual abolition. The Government consider their policy on these latter issues on a regular basis, and have a long-standing and continuing dialogue with the United States authorities. The issues are discussed at ministerial level when necessary.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contingency plans have been considered or drawn up by the Ministry of Defence for the supply of chemicals and biological weapons from its allies in the event of an emergency, since 1963.

Mr. Hanley

The Ministry of Defence has had no contingency plans to obtain chemical or biological weapons from its allies since the United Kingdom abandoned its offensive capabilities in chemical weapons in the 1950s and biological weapons after the second world war.