§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those biological and chemical warfare agents evaluated by DERA to which there is no known antidote. [30554]
§ Mr. SpellarThe Chemical and Biological Defence Sector at Porton Down carries out research which is directed towards providing the UK Armed Forces with safe and effective protection against the threat posed by biological and chemical warfare agents.
It would not be in the interests of national security to reveal any known biological or chemical warfare agents to which there is no available medical countermeasure, as to do this would provide information to a potential aggressor against the UK.
Under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information I will not, therefore, disclose whether or not such agents exist.