Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department is taking steps to improve the biosecurity of laboratories handling dangerous pathogens.

Part 7 of the Anti-terrorism Crime and Security Act (ATCSA) 2001 regulates the ability of sites such as universities, hospitals and research centres to hold and work with certain dangerous pathogens and toxins as listed under Schedule 5 of the Act.

The legislation places several responsibilities on sites including notifying the Home Office of their intention to hold or work with such substances, and ensuring suitable security measures are in place.

Current security levels around Schedule 5 substances remain sufficiently high and we continue to work with the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) to continuously review and improve the policies, processes and legislation surrounding Schedule 5 substances.