Veterinary Residues Committee

Thursday 14th July 2011 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr James Paice)]

On 14 October 2010, the Government announced the outcome of their review of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). This reported that the majority of DEFRA’s scientific and technical advisory bodies were to be abolished and reconstituted as expert scientific committees to provide advice on specific areas. As part of implementing these reforms, the Veterinary Residues Committee (VRC), which is a non-statutory advisory NDPB, will be reconstituted as an expert scientific committee on 14 July 2011.

The VRC will continue to support DEFRA, the devolved Administrations and the Food Standards Agency on the scope and operation of surveillance for residues of veterinary medicines in food and the significance to consumers of any residues detected.

The committee’s membership and new terms of reference can be found on the VRC’s website: www.vmd.gov.uk/vrc.