§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list(a) public health laboratories and (b) NHS trust laboratories which have refused to provide microbiology services for food, water and environmental testing; and if he will make a statement. [125012]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonWe are aware of only one case where a former Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) laboratory in Nottingham could not accept samples of swimming pool water for microbiological testing. This has now been resolved.
We are not aware of any other public health or national health service laboratories which have refused to provide microbiology services for food, water and environmental testing. The transition of this service from the PHLS to the Health Protection Agency has been managed from the outset on a 'business as usual' basis.