Written question asked by Lord Roberts of Conwy (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Warner (Labour) on Monday, 19 December 2005.

Smallpox Vaccine

Question: What stocks they have of smallpox vaccine; when and on what assumptions the vaccine was purchased; at what cost and from which manufacturers; and with whom the purchase was negotiated.

Answer: The United Kingdom Government have sufficient smallpox vaccine to mount a mass vaccination campaign of the whole population.Our vaccine stock, is comprised of three different vaccines: vaccine supplied by the Swiss Serum Institute at unknown cost as part of a routine supply contract during the eradication of smallpox vaccination campaign; vaccine manufactured by Bavarian Nordic and supplied by PowederJect at a cost of £32 million; and vaccine manufactured and supplied by Aventis Pasteur MSD as part of an on-going contract worth in total £45.2 million.All vaccines are of the Lister strain, a specific requirement for the UK vaccines, and all purchases have been negotiated with the suppliers in competition with other suppliers of vaccine.

Secondary information