HC Deb 30 March 2001 vol 365 cc809-11W
Mr. Livsey

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the veterinary investigation centres which were closed between 1980 and 1997. [155602]

Ms Quin [holding answer 27 March 2001]

I refer the to the letter from the Chief Executive of the Veterinary Laboratories Agency which lists the number of closures between 1980 and 1997.

Letter from Steve Edwards to Mr. Richard Livsey, dated 30 March 2001

The Minister has asked me to reply to your request for a list of Veterinary Investigation Centres (VICs) that were closed in each year between 1980 and 1997.

The attached table lists the VICs that were closed between these dates as well as new ones opened.

In 1995 the VICs were renamed regional Laboratories (RLs) when they merged with the Central Veterinary Laboratory to become the Veterinary Laboratories Agency.

Centres were closed and new ones opened as follows:

Centres were closed and new ones opened as follows:
Centre Closed/opened
Centre Closed/opened
1980
Aberystwyth
Bangor
Barton Hall (Preston—moved from Liverpool)
Cambridge
Cardiff
Carmarthen
Gloucester
Langford (Bristol)
Leeds
Lincoln
Moulton (Northampton)
Newcastle
Norwich
Penrith
Reading
Shrewsbury
Starcross (Exeter)
Sutton Bonington (Loughborough)
Thirsk
Truro
Weybridge
Winchester
Worcester
Wye (Kent)
Total 24
1981
Weybridge Closed
Total 23
1982
Chester (Sub centre of Shrewsbury) Opened
Total 24
1983–1985
Total 24
1986
Cardiff Closed
Chester Closed
Gloucester Closed
Leeds Closed
Moulton (Northampton) Closed
Total 19
1987–1990
Total 19
1991
Bangor Closed
Lincoln Closed
Wye (Kent) Closed
Total 16
1992
Total 16
1993
Cambridge Closed
Norwich Closed
Worcester Closed
Bury St. Edmunds Opened
Luddington (Stratford-upon-Avon) Opened
Total 15

Centres were closed and new ones opened as follows:
Centre Closed/opened
1994
Reading Closed
Total 14
1995–2001
Aberystwyth
Barton Hall (Preston)
Bury St. Edmunds
Camarthen
Langford (Bristol)
Luddington (Stratford-upon-Avon)
Newcastle
Penrith
Shrewsbury
Starcross (Exeter)
Sutton Bonington (Loughborough)
Thirsk
Truro
Winchester
Total 14