Hansard

Research Facilities: Merial Laboratory

Volume 697: debated on Monday 10 December 2007

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The Duke of Montrose

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What history there has been of shortfalls in the quantity of virus recorded each week at the Merial animal health laboratory. [HL456]

The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Lord Rooker)

These data are not recorded by the Government, but once Merial animal health had identified that a leak may have occurred, albeit one that was contained within the system, it informed Defra officials of this incident and the action that it had taken. Having learnt of this possible breach of a Specified Animal Pathogens Order (SAPO) licence condition, Defra suspended Merial's SAPO licence with immediate effect.