Scottish government officials Donald Henderson, Marjorie Marshall and Edythe Murie will accompany the health secretary.

BBC: Health Committee

One anti-sceptic is Donald Henderson, director of the Centre for Civilian Biodefence Studies at Johns Hopkins University, who believes that the threat of bioterrorism has increased in recent years.

ECONOMIST: Biowarfare could be the worst terrorist threat of all

Michael Osterholm, of the University of Minnesota, and Donald Henderson, of the University of Pittsburgh, however, argue in Science that H5N1's human-fatality rate means any benefits that might flow from the research are dwarfed by the risks.

ECONOMIST: Flu research and public safety