Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many biological warfare casualty treatment facilities his Department has in place; and what the state of readiness of those facilities is.

The Defence Medical Services (DMS) do not maintain treatment facilities which are specifically dedicated to casualties of "biological warfare". The management of a biological casualty would be embedded in an "all-hazards" treatment regime designed for managing infectious diseases, whether caused by natural (endemic) disease or hostile action. We have the capability to put in place facilities to respond to a range of eventualities.

The treatment of biological casualties follows internationally-mandated 'surviving sepsis' guidelines, which are taught to DMS personnel and would be applicable to biological attacks involving such infections as meningococcal disease, plague, and anthrax.