Speeches

Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to ensure members of the armed forces helping with the Ebola outbreak have adequate protection against the disease.

Mr Mark Francois

We take the protection of military personnel exceptionally seriously: it is our highest priority.

The key element of this protection is the training and briefing which is conducted prior to deployment, and which is tailored to their role in Sierra Leone, including the use/operation of the personal protective equipment issued. This training is supplemented on arrival in Sierra Leone and updated thereafter in line with the prevailing situation.

All personnel returning from Sierra Leone will be screened for Ebola in line with current guidance from Public Health England. This is part of a much wider monitoring and screening process, which will run throughout an individual’s deployment.