Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the World Organisation for Animal Health's validation procedures for new technologies for animal diseases, what validation procedures have been introduced by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) describes the validation process for tests in the Manual of Standards published on the OIE website. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) hosts a large number of OIE Reference laboratories and disease scientists. APHA, working collaboratively with colleagues internationally, has contributed to the development and review of OIE standards and guidelines for test validation at the OIE international level. APHA has implemented a validation process for tests and applies the externally accredited quality standard ISO17025.