Chemical Weapons (Hansard, 23 April 1998)

§ Mr. Livingstone
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many meetings of sub-group E on chemical and biological defence of the Technical Co-operation Programme have taken place since 1 January 1995; which countries took part in these meetings; where these meetings were held; and who represented the British Government at each meeting. [38612]

§ Mr. Spellar
The Technical Co-operation Programme, TTCP, involves collaboration between the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia. In 1997, the TTCP structure was reorganised and the former Sub-group E was renamed the Group on Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defence.
Since 1 January 1995, the Group has met annually in June. The 1995 meeting took place in Melbourne, Australia and was attended by Director CBD Porton Down as UK National Leader. In 1996, the meeting was held at the Chemical and Biological Defence sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, DERA, at Porton Down in the United Kingdom and was attended by Director CBD Porton Down as Executive Chairman plus an assistant and Chief Scientist, CBD Sector as UK National Leader. The 1997 meeting was held at Edgewood in the United States and was attended by MD Science, DERA as Executive Chairman, together with an assistant and Director CBD Sector as UK National Representative. All British attendees were MOD staff.

§ Mr. Livingstone
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many International Task forces have been established under the 1980 Memorandum of Understanding on chemical and biological defence between Britain, the United States of America and Canada since 1 January 1995; and what subjects each of these task forces cover. [38610]

§ Mr. Spellar
Seven International Task forces have been established under the 1980 Memorandum of Understanding on chemical and biological defence between Britain, the United States of America and Canada since 1 January 1995. They cover collaboration between the three nations to address defences against chemical and biological agents of concern. I am unable to give the individual topics as these are classified and I am therefore withholding these details under exemption 1 of Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

§ Mr. Livingstone
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the technical panels and action groups which have been active under sub-group E on chemical and biological defence of the Technical Co-operation Programme since 1 January 1995. [38613]
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§ Mr. Spellar
The Technical Co-operation Programme, TTCP, involves collaboration between the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia. In 1997, the TTCP structure was re-organised and the former sub-group E was renamed the Group on Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defence.
The technical panels active since 1 January 1995 are:

Biological warfare countermeasures;

Chemical and biological hazard assessment;

Biological agent detection;

Low burden individual protective clothing.

The action groups since 1 January 1995 are:

Gene probes;

Medical countermeasures against vesicant agents;

Absorbents;

Decontamination of chemical and biological hazards;

Treaty analytical methodologies;

Gene probes II;

Radiological hazards.