Written question asked by Chris Huhne (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 5 October 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 October 2007. It was answered by Anne McGuire (Labour) on Wednesday, 24 October 2007 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Animals: Disease Control

Question: (2) on how many occasions the Health and Safety Executive found the statutory requirements of the Institute for Animal Health at its (a) Compton and (b) Pirbright sites to have been breached in each of the last five years.

Answer: I have been asked to replyIn the last five years in relation to the IAH Compton site HSE Inspectors have issued the following improvement notices:"2003: for failure to control the risk to health from animal asthmagens;""2006: for failure to adequately control the exposure of employees and others to legionella bacteria;""2007: for lack of effective monitoring and review arrangements as part of an overall health and safety management system;""2007: for the use of an unauthorised biocidal product."HSE Inspectors have issued no notices at the Pirbright site where HSE is not the lead regulator. However, HSE, in conjunction with DEFRA, suspended, from 24 September 2007, all activities that involve manipulation of genetically modified viruses that could pose a risk to the environment and which require class 3 and 4 approval as required under the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 155783; 465 c306W
Session: 2006-07
Subjects: Animals Health and safety Health and Safety Executive Disease control Institute for Animal Health
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk