HC Deb 26 July 1993 vol 229 cc743-4W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has facilities for the manufacture or storage of anthrax vaccine.

Mr. Hanley

This is a matter for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment under its framework document and I have asked the chief executive to reply.

Letter from Mr. G. Pearson to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 26 July 1993:

1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him if his Department has facilities for the manufacture or storage of anthrax vaccine (Question 3, Order Paper 20 July 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out research to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work research is carried out into medical countermeasures including vaccines against the chemical and biological warfare agents that might be used against the UK Armed Forces.

3. There are no facilities for the manufacture of anthrax vaccine in the Ministry of Defence. However, storage facilities for a wide range of medical products used by the Armed Forces including vaccines are available in the Ministry of Defence.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the expenditure on the purchase of anthrax vaccine in each of the last three financial years.

Mr. Hanley

Details relating to all vaccines giving protection against biological warfare agents are classified.