§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the extramural contractors to the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down, who have agreed to their contractual relationship to the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment being disclosed to the public, outlining the subject of the contract, its value and its duration; and how many extramural contractors refused to have their contractual relationship being disclosed to the public; [7298]
(2) how many contracts in universities are being funded by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down; how many universities have these contracts; what is the total value of these contracts; how 527W many of these contracts are classified; how many of these contractors have agreed to allow their contractual relationship to the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to be disclosed to the public; and how many have refused. [7299]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThese matters are for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 16 January 1996:
Your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence asking for details relating to extramural contractors to the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down and also for details of contracts with universities has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency which includes CBDE as one of its divisions. I am answering both questions in this letter.In order to avoid any confusion I should explain that we do not make any distinction between extramural research contracts and research contracts specifically with universities. The information you have asked for refers, therefore, to one group of extramural contracts with universities, research institutes and industrial companies.As at Tuesday 9 January 1996 CBDE Porton Down had 53 of these contracts. Nineteen of the contractors have confirmed that they are prepared to have their contractual relationship disclosed to the public and, in fact, they are all universities. Fourteen have declined to make all the details of their relationship known to the public of which nine are in universities. The remaining twenty contractors have not declared their position, six of these being in universities.Of theses 53 contracts a total of 42 have been placed with 21 universities. They have a value of approximately £5 million and a duration varying from several months to a few years. None of them are classified.The nineteen university contractors who are prepared to make details of their relationship known to the public are:Birmingham
Three contracts with a total value of £450K concerned with aspects of detection and decontamination. Duration between 2 to 4 years.Bristol
Two contracts with a total value of £226K concerned with aspects of the medical countermeasures programme. Duration 3 years.Durham
One contract with a total value of £98K concerned with aspects of the protective equipment programme. Duration 3 years.Hull
Two contracts with a total value of £105K concerned with chemical analysis. Duration 3 to 4 years.Leeds
One contract with a total value of £84k concerned with aspects of the medical countermeasures programme. Duration 3 years.Newcastle
One contract with a total value of £68K concerned with aspects of the medical countermeasures programme. Duration 3 years.Southampton
528WTwo contracts with a total value of £178K concerned with aspects of the medical countermeasures and protective equipment programmes. Duration 1 and 4 years.Warwick
One contract with a total value of £156K concerned with the hazard assessment research programme. Duration 4 years.UMIST
Five contracts with a total value of £780K concerned with aspects of the hazard assessment and protective equipment research programmes. Duration between 1 and 3 years.I hope this information is helpful.