§ Mr. GillTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has reached a decision on setting up the central veterinary laboratory and the veterinary medicines directorate as executive agencies.
§ Mr. GummerThe feasibility studies set in hand by my predecessor following his written reply of 20 April 1989 to my hon. Friend the Member for Bridlington (Mr. Townsend) have now been concluded. I am satisfied in the light of these studies that setting up the central veterinary laboratory and the veterinary medicines directorate, both at Weybridge, as executive agencies will bring benefits in terms of further increases in the efficiency and effectiveness with which these two parts of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food conduct their business on behalf of customers in other parts of the Ministry and outside it. I accordingly propose to launch the two agencies with effect from April next. I propose to appoint Dr. T. W. A. Little as chief executive of the central veterinary laboratory and Dr. J. M. Rutter, the present director of the veterinary medicines directorate, as its chief executive.