Government pledges £48million of extra cash to chemical weapons centre that identified Russian nerve agent
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- 15 Mar 2021
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Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson today announces a £48million boost for the chemical weapons research centre which pinpointed the Novichok nerve agent used to poison Sergei Skripal .
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down will get the extra cash to pump into a new Chemical Weapons Defence Centre.
Unveiling the funding in a speech to the Policy Exchange think tank at Rolls Royce in Bristol, Mr Williamson will say the money will help Britain “maintain our cutting edge in chemical analysis and defence”.
“If we doubted the threat Russia poses to our citizens, we only have to look at the shocking example of their reckless attack in Salisbury,” he will tell guests.
“We know the chemical threat doesn’t just come from Russia but from others.”
Mr Williamson will also announce that thousands of troops held at high readiness will be vaccinated against anthrax.
In his first major speech since being appointed in November, he will warn of “a profound moment in our history, a crossroads where the choice before us as a nation is simple - to sit back and let events overtake us or step forward”.
Calling for more cash for the military, Mr Williamson will warn that “in the face of intensifying threats, we must prioritise investment in military capabilities”.
“As Brexit beckons, the eyes of the world are on us. Rest assured our adversaries will be watching even more closely than our allies,” the Tory Minister will say.
“We cannot sit back and let events overtake us. We have to be the ones who determine our future.”
