BOROUGH MP Andrew Miller says a ‘hugely challenging laboratory exercise’ is required following the outbreak of swine flu.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Miller asked whether the Government had the resources to ensure that would happen.
Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for the Department of Health, assured him that was the case, adding the UK was better prepared than most countries.
Mr Miller said: “Modelling the spread of such illnesses is incredibly difficult. That is partly because of the way we travel today and because such a virus can mutate and change, hopefully becoming less harmful.
“It requires a hugely challenging laboratory exercise to maintain a full understanding of what is happening.
“Is my right honourable friend satisfied that he and his colleagues have at their disposal the resources so that we can not only follow the path of the illness, but ensure that we learn lessons from what has happened?”
Mr Johnson replied: “I am entirely satisfied that is the case, and entirely satisfied with regard to the NHS.
“I am not complacent about the issue. However, I think we are in a better state than most other countries.”
