§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms there are to allow the Government to monitor, regulate and ensure the security of the transport of dual-use pathogens(a) within the UK, (b) within the EU and (c) from the UK to third countries. [79197]
§ Mr. SpellarThe land transport of infectious substances within Great Britain is regulated by the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail Regulations 1996 (SI 1996 No 2089) (as amended), the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road Regulations 1996 (SI 1996 No 2095) (as amended) and the Carriage of Dangerous Goods (Classification, Packaging and Labelling) and Use of Transportable Pressure Receptacles Regulations 1996 (SI 1996 No 2092) (as amended). These regulations are made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, with support from the police and the Vehicle Inspectorate. Mirror arrangements apply in Northern Ireland. Council Directives 96/49/EC (for rail transport) and 94/55/EC (for road transport) apply to transport between EU Member States, respectively, the provisions of the RID and ADR Agreements governing the international transport of dangerous goods, including infectious substances. Transport between the UK and third countries who are contracting parties to RID or ADR is governed by the detailed requirements set out in those Agreements. The Agreements are reviewed biennially in response to technical progress. Similar provisions apply in air and sea transport through application of the ICAO Technical Instructions and the IMO IMDG Code respectively.
The United Kingdom is at the forefront of an international initiative to draft provisions to enhance the security of dangerous goods in transport, which will apply particularly to the more dangerous infectious substances. We hope that by the end of the year we will see these provisions adopted in the UN's global multi-modal Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and by the European Commission, and included in due course in the provisions of the aforementioned Directives.