HC Deb 24 June 2004 vol 422 cc1557-8W
Ian Lucas

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to safeguard the supply of agar plates in the event of a national emergency. [179392]

Miss Melanie Johnson

National Health Service Trusts and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) have well-established contingency plans for maintaining supplies of agar plates in the event of a national emergency. These include retention within the HPA of a capacity to respond to surges in demand for specialist media resulting from any outbreak or threat.