§ 32. Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department is taking to protect British service personnel in the event of their being deployed where chemical and biological weapons are a threat. [20227]
§ Mr. SpellarDefensive measures taken to protect British service personnel against the threat of use of chemical and biological weapons comprise five components: Detection, Identification and Monitoring; Warning and Reporting; Individual and Collective Protection; Contamination Control; and Medical Countermeasures. Work is continuing to improve our capability in all five areas.
The passive defensive measures are part of a spectrum of capabilities relevant to chemical and biological threats, including intelligence and command and control, air defence, operational doctrine and training, and the potential for retaliatory military action. The Government are also fully committed to active support of arms control and non-proliferation measures to eliminate the threat of weapons of mass destruction.