Britain is accused of buying the wrong vaccine

Smallpox is the most devastating infectious disease

It's being claimed that the Government has stockpiled the wrong kind of Smallpox vaccine, leaving the country vulnerable to a bio-terrorist attack.

Researchers in the United States are reported to have found that Britain's vaccine stock would be ineffective against the strain of smallpox most likely to be used in any attack.

Powderject Pharmaceuticals was awarded the multi-million-pound contract for the vaccine just weeks after its chief executive had given Labour fifty thousand pounds.

We spoke to Ian Gibson, Labour MP and chairman of the Commons select committee on science

Click here to watch Ian Gibson on Breakfast

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The government has ordered millions of doses of a smallpox vaccine based on what is known as the Lister strain of the disease to protect people in the UK in the event of a terrorist attack.

Smallpox facts

Can transmit through air

Kills about 30% of those infected

No cure

First symptoms can be mistaken for flu

Officially eradicated in 1980 after global vaccination

First used as weapon by British against Native Americans in 18th century

In America, the Bush administration has bought a different vaccine developed by the New York City Board of Health to combat another type of smallpox which its scientists believe is more likely to be used by bio-terrorists.

Scientific experts

That decision is reported to be backed up by the new study by the Potomac Institute. Its authors say the British government has got it wrong.

Their claims have been welcomed by the senior Labour backbencher, Dr Ian Gibson.

He says it is not at all clear whether the vaccine bought by the government would be effective in the event of an attack.

But the Department of Health says it stands by its decision which was based on advice from a committee of scientific experts.

That advice remains unpublished.