§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list those agencies or laboratories which have conducted scientific research on behalf of her Department in the past year which are not accredited by the UK Accreditation Service. [10610]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 26 October 2001]: DEFRA commissions research with several hundred contractors, and through them many sub-contractors. The UK Accreditation Service standard is just one of a number of quality standards which such contractors may apply and meet. My Department does not hold information on its hundreds of contractors and it could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.