Written question asked by Louise Haigh (Labour) on Tuesday, 22 January 2019, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 28 January 2019 (named day). It was answered by Nadhim Zahawi (Conservative) on Monday, 28 January 2019 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Forensic Science: Misconduct

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether any of the local authorities that commissioned forensic tests from Trimega Laboratories Limited between January 2010 and April 2014 have carried out a case-by-case assessment of the effect of toxicology on decision-making in relation to the welfare of children.

Answer: The department does not have information on whether the local authorities that commissioned forensic tests from Trimega, between January 2010 and April 2014, have carried out a case by case assessment of the effect of toxicology on decision-making in relation to the welfare of children. However, the department wrote to local authorities on 17 November 2017 and 16 February 2018, asking them to review whether they had commissioned forensic tests from Trimega Laboratories Limited between January 2010 to April 2014, and to consider whether there was a need to take further action in order to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities.

Secondary information