Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he has taken since the chemical contamination incident in Salisbury to ensure that medical counter measures are in place to protect police officers attending such incidents.

The safety of responders addressing a CBRN event is paramount. To that end we work closely with scientists and responders to ensure that the responders avoid contact with hazardous materials as much as possible. This includes the use of cordons to keep them away from contact with materials, and, for those that do enter contaminated areas, the provision of world class Personal Protective Equipment.

In the event that medical countermeasures are required for the police responders, national stockpiles of medical countermeasures (medicines and materials) are held to treat casualties. These are maintained to provide a specific response to risk in the National Risk Assessment based on clinical and scientific advice.

These measures are regularly reviewed.