§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what impact the establishment of the Food Standards Agency will have on the role of the food safety activities of the Central Science Laboratory. [38347]
§ Mr. RookerThe White Paper "The Food Standards Agency: a Force for Change": (Cmd 3830) proposes that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) should take the lead in commissioning research on food safety. It will be for the FSA to determine its own priorities and procedures for future research once it is established. However, the Government anticipate that the FSA will continue to commission research competitively, and that the Central Science Laboratory would compete for FSA research contracts, along with other research establishments.
§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he will make to ensure co-ordination of the relevant work of the Central236W Science Laboratory with that of the Institute of Food Research following the establishment of the Food Standards Agency. [38348]
§ Mr. RookerThe Central Science Laboratory already collaborates with the Institute of Food Research and with many other research institutes and universities. This ensures that respective scientific expertise is effectively applied.
Measures are in hand to strengthen the links between the Central Science Laboratory and the Institute of Food Research including the intention to develop a collaborative framework agreement.