With permission, Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a statement to update the House on the Home Office response to the incident unfolding in Salisbury, further to the Prime Minister’s statement yesterday.

First, it is right that we recognise the efforts of the emergency services who continue to respond to this extraordinary and gravely serious event. Those emergency service personnel risked their own health - as they do often do - in order to protect the victims of this incident, and as members of the public we should be grateful for this sacrifice.

The response to the incident in Salisbury began at 4:15pm on Thursday afternoon, when a member of the public rang 999 to report their concern for two individuals in a park in Salisbury. Wiltshire Police and the South Western Ambulance Service responded, and one man in his 60s and one woman in her 30s were admitted to Salisbury District Hospital. These two individuals are Sergei Skripal, and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, both originally of Russia. It is our belief that Sergei Skripal was the main target of this attack. Both individuals are in a critical but stable condition.

Regrettably, I must tell the House that a police officer has also been admitted to hospital following the incident. One of the first to respond to the incident, this officer displayed courage and selflessness in helping others with disregard for his own health. He is in a serious condition and remains in hospital, but is conscious, talking, and aware of his situation. I’m sure the whole House will join me in sending our best wishes to this officer, his family, and his friends at this difficult time.

The risk to the public has been determined as low. There are sites that remain closed within Salisbury, and this is crucial so that the investigation can continue, but those who were nearby should not panic. Precautionary advice will be given to the small number of individuals who may have been affected by this incident, but I must reiterate that the current risk to the public is low. Those with concerns about their health should ring 111 for further information, or 999 in an emergency.

Wiltshire Police quickly saw fit to involve other agencies, and as such, officers from the Metropolitan Police National Counter Terror Policing Network have been sent to Salisbury to continue the investigation. As of this morning, this event has been declared a major incident. Samples taken from the scene and from all three hospitalised individuals are being scrupulously analysed by our world-renowned experts at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory in Porton Down.

As the Prime Minister said in his statement, the initial analysis shows that a military grade nerve agent was used by the perpetrators of this attack. Specifically, the agent is one of Russian origin known as ‘novichok’. Whilst it is natural for the media and public to want to know as much as possible about this incident, I must ask for patience and privacy as those in the police and other agencies continue their investigation.

Mr. Speaker, it is not my place to speculate on the identity of the perpetrators. It is impossible at this juncture to say who committed this attack. We know, however, that access to this nerve agent should have been highly limited. We must therefore accept that one of the two dreadful possibilities laid out by my Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister yesterday is true. It is the job of the agencies investigating to uncover which is the truth. I understand my Right Honourable Friend the Foreign Secretary is to update us at a later date on the international situation regarding this attack.

Let us be clear in this: this was an attack on Sergei Skripal. Contrary to the law of the United Kingdom, someone has sought to injure or kill one of our citizens. But not only has a despicable attempt at human life been made, the method of attack put the public at risk. The attackers have shown wanton disregard for human life and contempt for the rule of law and for the United Kingdom. This is not an issue of politics. This is an issue of morality and decency. The United Kingdom will not waver in its pursuit of justice.

I want to end, Mr. Speaker, on more hopeful note. Whilst there those are out there who seek to bring terror and suffering to the world, there are many more who have come together to show solidarity with the victims of this ordeal. The bravery of the people of Salisbury and of the entire United Kingdom, must not be understated. Emergency service workers have come to work today, as they do every day, undeterred by the events of this week, and continue to serve the public with bravery.

We must continue to come together as a country, and rally around the victims and community in Salisbury. The message of strength that our unity sends is greater than anything anyone can say from this despatch box.

I commend this statement to the House.