§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has completed the review of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate; and if he will make a statement. [19210]
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe review of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate has now been completed. This has concluded that the VMD should continue to operate as an executive agency.
An independent evaluation of the VMD was carried out by external management consultants. As well as assessing the VMD's performance this also considered the effects of agency status on both the VMD and core Department. Overall, the study concluded that the VMD had made significant progress since its launch as an agency in 1990. There were, of course, some areas for improvement and lessons to be learnt for both the agency and the Department. I have placed a summary of the evaluation's main recommendations, and the management response, together with a copy of the VMD's revised framework document in the Libraries of both Houses.