HC Deb 17 December 1990 vol 183 cc72-4W
Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the locations of the(a) veterinary laboratories, (b) Agricultural Development Advisory Service farm and countryside service laboratories, (c) Agricultural Development Advisory Service research and development laboratories, (d) fisheries laboratories arid (e) food science laboratories that have closed since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

[holding answer 10 December 1990]: Laboratories exist to meet the experimental and analytical needs of the Ministry's scientific work programme. In order that this can be carried out in the most efficient and economical way, it is sometimes necessary for facilities at particular sites to be closed or for new ones to be constructed. The table illustrates this by listing the locations of laboratories which have closed and by identifying the places to which work has been transferred. It remains our policy to keep all such facilities under review to ensure that we have the most cost effective mix of resources for current and future requirements.

Closure and Effect on programme

(a) Veterinary Laboratories

  • Cardiff—work redistributed amongst Carmarthen, Shrewsbury, Worcester and Langford.
  • Chester—work redistributed amongst Bangor, Barton Hall (Preston) and Shrewsbury.
  • Gloucester—work redistributed amongst Langford and Worcester.
  • Leeds—work transferred to Thirsk.
  • Liverpool—work transferred to a new laboratory at Barton Hall (Preston)
  • Northampton—work redistributed amongst Cambridge, Reading and Sutton Bonington.
  • Shinfield (Reading)—some AI work privatised. Other work transferred to CVL (Weybridge).

Since 1979 there has been a programme of rationalisation and investment in the most modern analytical equipment which has permitted an increased workload to be handled more cost effectively at fewer sites. Work which would have been carried out at closed sites is now dealt with at the most appropriate remaining site in relation to location, the discipline involved and the particular requirements in question. Closed laboratories and current facilities are listed, together with their relevant specialisms.

(b) ADAS FCS Laboratories Closed

  • Accrington—microbiology
  • Bangor—entomology and plant pathology
  • Caernarfon—microbiology
  • Cardiff—microbiology
  • Evesham—plant pathology and entomology
  • Liverpool—wildlife and storage biology
  • Newcastle-upon-Tyne—analytical chemistry, microbiology,
  • plant pathology and entomology
  • Shardlow—analytical chemistry, microbiology, plant pathology and entomology
  • Shrewsbury—microbiology

Current

  • Bristol—plant pathology
  • Cambridge—analytical chemistry, microbiology, plant pathology and entomology
  • Cardiff—entomology
  • Carmarthen—wildlife and storage biology
  • Kirton—plant pathology and entomology
  • Leeds—microbiology, plant pathology and entomology Reading—microbiology and entomology
  • Starcross—analytical chemistry,—microbiology,—plant pathology and entomology
  • Trawscoed—microbiology, plant pathology and entomology
  • Wolverhampton—analytical chemistry, microbiology, plant pathology and entomology
  • Wye—plant pathology

(c) ADAS RDS Laboratories

  • Welshpool—transferred to Tolworth.

(d) Fisheries Laboratories

  • Humber Laboratories (Hull)—work on fish by-products transferred to Torry Research Station. Other work terminated.
  • London—transferred to Lowestoft.

(e) Food Science Laboratories

  • 1 site in London, 2 sites in Norwich—work transferred to new purpose built laboratory at Norwich.