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The 2020 Government Chemist Review

The twenty-fourth Annual Review of the Government Chemist has been received. The Review will be placed in the Libraries of the House plus those of the Devolved Administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland. The Review will also be laid before the Scottish Parliament.

The Government Chemist is the Referee Analyst named in Acts of Parliament. The Government Chemist’s team carry out analysis in high-profile or legally disputed cases. A range of referee analysis work was carried out during 2020, which included the evaluation of genetically Modified Organisms in rice products, honey authenticity and the labelling of a novel food supplement. The Government Chemist continues to work closely with government departments, their governance group, Devolved Administrations, Non Governmental Organisations and industry, to address strategic cross-department issues such as cannabidiol (CBD) and SARS-CoV-2 viral detection.