Written question asked by Lord Bellingham (Conservative) on Tuesday, 2 July 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 23 July 2002. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Tuesday, 23 July 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of the smallpox contract awarded to Powderject is estimated to represent profit for Powderject.

Answer: Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the smallpox contract awarded to Powderject is estimated to represent profit for Powderject. [67547] Mr. Hutton: The Department has made no such estimate. Before letting the contract to Powderject, the prices offered by other companies for similar products were compared, and comparisons were made with the price being paid by the United States Government for its smallpox vaccine. On the basis of consideration of all the price information available relating to similar products, the vaccine was deemed to represent value for money.

Secondary information