§ Lord Alderdiceasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in the light of the announced closure of the veterinary investigation centre at Omagh, Co. Tyrone, any report has been prepared on the comparative performance of the centres at Omagh and Stormont; if so, whether they will place a copy of the report in the Library; and whether they will defer the closure of the centre at Omagh until there has been further consultation within Northern Ireland.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Baroness Denton of Wakefield)The Department of Agriculture Northern Ireland has not commissioned any report on the comparative performance of the Veterinary Investigation Centre at Omagh and Veterinary Science Division at Stormont. As part of a graduate training project a simple customer survey of veterinary practitioners was carried out, but as it was not part of the decision-making process it would not be appropriate to place this material in the House. It is not intended to change the decision to close the Veterinary Investigation Centre, Omagh.