§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider setting up an accreditation scheme to control the quality of bacteriological testing of food; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RyderThe Government have a well-established national measurement accreditation service (NAMAS) for all types of testing and calibration laboratories, which is managed by the Department of Trade and Industry. My Ministry is represented on the NAMAS advisory committee. Accreditation is open to any laboratory carrying out objective testing, including bacteriological laboratories and NAMAS has produced a guidance document covering the specific interpretation of the accreditation criteria for laboratories carrying out bacteriological testing.