§ Lord Joplingasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the current size of vaccine stocks held to meet an outbreak of smallpox, anthrax and other plagues which terrorists might use. [HL3129]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner)We have a substantial strategic stock of smallpox vaccine, which would be rapidly deployed to contain any outbreak. We have taken steps to considerably increase our supplies. We are planning for every eventuality and this includes the ability to vaccinate the entire population if necessary.
With regard to anthrax and other biological agents that could be used as deliberate release weapons for example plague and tularaemia, the first line treatment for these would be antibiotics rather than vaccines.