Written question asked by Robert Jackson (Conservative) on Monday, 5 November 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 22 November 2001. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Thursday, 22 November 2001 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that every United Kingdom citizen has access to a vaccine against smallpox to protect against possible bio-terrorist attack; and if additional stocks will need to be purchased to achieve this level of coverage.

Answer: Mr. Robert Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to ensure that every United Kingdom citizen has access to a vaccine against smallpox to protect against possible bio-terrorist attack; and if additional stocks will need to be purchased to achieve this level of coverage. [13144] Jacqui Smith: There is no specific threat of a smallpox attack against the United Kingdom. There are strategic supplies of vaccines and antibiotics for use as appropriate to the incident; and we have got substantial stocks of smallpox vaccine which could be rapidly deployed to contain an outbreak. The UK policy on future smallpox vaccine manufacture is currently under development. The Department is pursuing other sources of vaccine supply at the Swiss Serum Centre which holds stocks of vaccine left over from the World Health Organisation's eradication programme and is also working closely with the Ministry of Defence in determining the UK's vaccine needs. We are also in discussions with the United States of America and other Governments about stocks of vaccine.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 375 c410W;375 c412W; 13144
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Biological weapons Protection Production Terrorism Vaccination Smallpox
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk