Deadly diseases could escape from laboratories because of Government funding neglect, warn MPs

They say the security at research centres working with diseases such as anthrax and ebola is being put at risk by poor maintenance and penny-pinching bureaucrats.

Conditions at the Institute for Animal Health at Pirbright in Surrey - where foot and mouth disease escaped last year - and at the ageing Health Protection Agency lab at Porton Down in Wiltshire are singled out as particularly bad.

The Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee warns in a report that there is a risk of another 'devastating' leak unless biosecurity is taken more seriously.

Ten laboratories in Britain work with the most dangerous types of viruses and bacteria.

These 'level four' containment facilities store samples of anthrax, bird flu and bubonic plague and carry out research into the diseases.

Another 600 sites are allowed to work on less dangerous diseases.

MPs describe some facilities as 'world class' - but warn that others had been badly maintained.

'This must be rectified to ensure the incident at Pirbright is not repeated,' the report says.

'A number of high containment laboratories have been neglected and the funding situation is uncertain.

'The Government must ensure that dependable funding is provided to maintain such facilities safely.'

The report calls for a single Government minister to take responsibility for biosecurity.

The official inquiry into last year's foot and mouth outbreak said it was caused by shoddy biosecurity at the Government-funded Institute for Animal Health at Pirbright.

The virus was in waste water leaving the plant but rather than being destroyed it escaped from a cracked drain.

It leaked into a field and was spread to neighbouring farms on the tyres of builders' lorries.

Eight farms were infected, thousands of animals destroyed and farmers lost millions because of livestock restrictions.

The MPs' report says decisions are needed urgently on the future of Pirbright, while the redevelopment of Porton Down should be considered a priority.

'It is not acceptable that scientists at Health Protection Agency Porton Down are asked to work in such ageing facilities,' it says.

The committee also calls for improved vetting of staff working at high containment laboratories.

Although foot and mouth is highly contagious in animals, it does not pose a health risk to humans.

But the accidental release of a disease such as ebola could be devastating. In Africa  - where the disease is passed from animals to humans - it kills up to 85 per cent of victims.

Committee chairman Phil Willis said: 'The outbreak of foot and mouth disease at Pirbright highlights that in the long run, proper regulation, running and maintenance of high containment facilities is considerably cheaper than remedying a breach of bio-containment.'