§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason the open-days at Porton Down were ended; and what plans he has to resume them. [145352]
§ Dr. MooniePrior to 1980, there were two Ministry of Defence establishments at Porton Down—The Microbiological Research Establishment which held a week of open days during 1968 and the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment which undertook a similar exercise the following year. The formal openings of these establishments were only ever intended as one-off events and there are no plans for a repeat. However, the successor to these two establishments, the Chemical and424W Biological Defence Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, hosts numerous visitors throughout the year from the local, research and media communities.