§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if(a) GW Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and (b) the Medicinal Cannabis Research Foundation have cannabis growing facilities at the Porton Down establishment; and if he will make a statement. [132806]
§ Dr. MoonieThis is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 28 July 2000:
I am replying to your parliamentary question about tenancies on the Porton Down Science Park since the Porton Down site is part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).The Medicinal Cannabis Research Foundation is not a tenant at Porton Down. GW Pharmaceuticals Ltd does, however, maintain an office on the Porton Down Science Park. The relationship between 911W the company and DERA is a commercial one, that of tenant and landlord. If DERA is to continue to attract tenants to its Science Parks, then companies must be able to feel confident that information about their business will be treated as confidential. I am, therefore, obliged to refuse your request under exemption 7, effective management and operations of the public service, of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.I can, however, assure you that significant checks are carried out on both staff and companies applying to occupy space on our Science Parks. DERA would not consider any potential tenant whose business was likely, in any way, to infringe the law.I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful on this occasion.