HL Deb 30 January 1997 vol 577 cc100-1WA

Baroness O'Cathain asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the future of the Veterinary Laboratories Agency.

Lord Lucas

Following the Prior Options review, the Government has decided that the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) should remain an executive agency of MAFF. The Government have proposed a number of steps to help improve the efficiency of a wide range of research establishments remaining in the public sector. For the VLA, we shall be setting targets for increasing competition, enlarging the programme of market testing of non-R&D work, and looking at the scope for exchange of areas of work with the Institute for Animal Health. Details will be announced in due course.

My right honourable friend the President of the Board of Trade answered a parliamentary question yesterday on the broad outcome of the programme of Prior Options reviews of public sector research establishments, which referred to the general policy on the timing of Prior Options reviews.