Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions Ministers and officials in his Department have had with (a) the Food Standards Agency and (b) other Departments on the (i) award and (ii) operation of the current three-year contract for the provision of Official Veterinarians and Meat Hygiene Inspectors in England and Wales.

No recent discussions have taken place between Departmental Ministers and the Food Standards Agency on either the award or the operation of the current contract for the provision of Official Veterinarians and Meat Hygiene Inspectors in England and Wales.

As a non-ministerial Government Department, Food Standards Agency discusses a range of issues with the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury directly.