§ Sir Richard BodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the Bristol research centre dealing with food safety will he closed; and whether the Agriculture and Food Research Council took account of representations from the retail food trade in making its decision.
Mr. JacksonThe AFRC has decided to consolidate the work of the Institute of Food Research (1FR) on its two sites at Norwich and Reading to further enhance its science base. A consequence of this restructuring is that the laboratory at Langford, Bristol, will cease to be part of the IFR by the end of 1990 when AFRC institute funding will have been withdrawn. In planning the future scientific strategy of the Institute, advice was sought from a wide range of opinion including representatives from the food manufacturing industry, the retail food trade, academia and the Consumers Association.