§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 February,Official Report, columns 354–55, for what reason the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment introduced formal written protocols in 1990; and in what form protocols for trials and studies were kept before that time. [28134]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThis is a matter for the chief executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.
187WLetter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 8 May 1996:
I have been asked to reply to your question about written protocols for the service volunteer programme at the former Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment since this falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency which includes CBD within one of its divisions.Procedures for standardised, formal written protocols were implemented in 1991 during the establishment of the Independent Ethics Committee. This followed from the recommendations of the Royal College of Physicians' Guidelines for Ethics Committees (updated in 1990) and was introduced as part of Porton Down's continuing commitment to follow best practice for carrying out their work. For many years prior to the introduction of these new arrangements scientific staff produced written protocols of the studies they proposed conducting but these were not constructed to a standard pattern.I hope this information is helpful.