§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 27 November 2001,Official Report, 395W column 850W, on veterinary medicines, for what reasons the minutes of the Advisory Group on Veterinary Medicines are considered confidential. [20701]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 4 December 2001]The Advisory Group on Veterinary Residues (AGVR) was set up in 1995 under different arrangements from those that are currently in place for its successor, the Veterinary Residues Committee. Members of the AGVR included a number of independent experts from several fields, including a consumer representative. They were aware that a summary of their deliberations would be published each year in the Annual Report on Surveillance for Veterinary Residues. However, at no stage were they advised that their comments in meetings, which were minuted, would be made public. There are also elements in the minutes which may be commercially sensitive.
As indicated in the answer of 27 November 2001, Official Report, column 850W, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is considering how the minutes might be released. However, before they can be released the VMD will need to seek the agreement of all of the former members of the AGVR to the release of information since they had supplied the information in confidence. This is in accordance with Part II, Paragraph 14 (a) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, Second Edition (1997).