Veterinary Laboratories Agency
Encyclopedia
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) is an executive agency
of the UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
("Defra"). It carries out animal disease surveillance, diagnostic services and veterinary scientific research for government and commercial organisations. It is based in New Haw
, though has offices and laboratories around the country, such as in Sutton Bonington
.
It is both an International Reference Laboratory and the EU Community Reference Laboratory for avian influenza.
1917 - The Laboratory moves to its current location in Weybridge.
The site is still known as Weybridge today, although the postal address is now Addlestone.
.
Executive agency
An executive agency, also known as a next-step agency, is a part of a government department that is treated as managerially and budgetarily separate in order to carry out some part of the executive functions of the United Kingdom government, Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly or Northern Ireland...
of the UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
("Defra"). It carries out animal disease surveillance, diagnostic services and veterinary scientific research for government and commercial organisations. It is based in New Haw
New Haw
New Haw is a village in Surrey, England about 25 miles to the southwest of London. It is located near the communities of Byfleet, West Byfleet, Woodham, Weybridge, Addlestone and Ottershaw....
, though has offices and laboratories around the country, such as in Sutton Bonington
Sutton Bonington
Sutton Bonington is a village and civil parish lying along the valley of the River Soar in the Borough of Rushcliffe, south west Nottinghamshire, England. The University of Nottingham has a site just to the north of the village: Sutton Bonington Campus....
.
It is both an International Reference Laboratory and the EU Community Reference Laboratory for avian influenza.
History
1894 - The Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) is established in a small basement room in Whitehall, London to deal with a swine fever epidemic.1917 - The Laboratory moves to its current location in Weybridge.
The site is still known as Weybridge today, although the postal address is now Addlestone.
Recent development
On June 29th 2010 DEFRA announced that the VLA would be merged with Animal HealthAnimal Health
Animal Health is the UK government's executive agency primarily responsible for ensuring that farmed animals in Great Britain are healthy, disease-free and well looked after....
.