The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, has issued the following statement on the Amesbury investigation, following confirmation from the police that two people were exposed to the nerve agent Novichok.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid said:
I want to express my thanks to the emergency services and staff at the Salisbury District Hospital for their tireless professionalism in dealing with the incident in Amesbury. It follows the reckless and barbaric attack which took place in Salisbury in March.
The Amesbury investigation is ongoing and the police must be given the space they need to continue establishing the full facts.
My thoughts at this time are with the two individuals affected. The Government’s first priority is for the safety of the residents in the local area but as Public Health England has made clear, the risk to the general public is low.
Tomorrow (Thursday) I will chair a meeting of the Government’s emergency committee COBR in relation to the ongoing investigation.