Written question asked by Andrew Mackinlay (Labour) on Friday, 18 November 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 23 November 2005. It was answered by Adam Ingram (Labour) on Monday, 19 December 2005 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Porton Down

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which employees of Porton Down visited South Africa in the period from 1975 until the collapse of the apartheid regime; for what purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: [holding answer 23 November 2005]: In January and March 1992, at the request of the Mozambican Government, the Ministry of Defence sent a total of three employees from, what was then, the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down to Mozambique as part of two missions to investigate allegations of the use of chemical weapons. In order to fulfil these verification missions the individuals were required to transit through South Africa to reach the area under investigation in Mozambique. The investigation team which visited the site of the alleged use of chemical weapons was a combined UK and UN team.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 440 c2347W; 31254
Session: 2005-06
Related items: Chemical Defence Establishment
Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Mozambique South Africa Visits abroad Chemical Defence Establishment
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk