A multi-million pound laboratory that will contribute to Government research into bovine TB, has been opened by the Chief Veterinary Officer.

The new facility in Weybridge, Surrey, provides Veterinary Laboratories Agency scientists with the "state of the art" technology they need to further their ground-breaking study of animal disease.

A key feature of the laboratory - the Stewart Stockman Building - is that some of the facilities can have their animal disease containment level increased to deal with serious epidemics, like foot and mouth.

Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Debby Reynolds said: "The Stewart Stockman building demonstrates the Government's commitment to investing in science to provide the evidence needed for the development and implementation of policy.

"The new facility brings together the VLA's tuberculosis team which undertakes high quality diagnosis work to support Defra's TB control research."

Professor Steve Edwards, Chief Executive of the VLA, said: "The TB facility includes an extensive suite of disease containment level 3 laboratories for tuberculosis diagnosis and research."

"In addition to TB work, the new facility will be used for the millions of blood tests the VLA carries out each year to demonstrate to the world that the UK is free from key diseases like brucellosis or warble fly.

"The Stewart Stockman building lets us make full use of modern robotics technology, giving a faster turnaround and increased throughput of results, while retaining the VLA's high quality service."

The building has been named after Sir Stewart Stockman who was appointed Chief Veterinary Officer in 1905. He was also the first director of research at the Central Veterinary Laboratory, the VLA's forerunner, and encouraged and supported animal disease research.

Professor Edwards said: "He persevered to create the Central Veterinary Laboratory and now, 100 years later, it seems fitting that his name should be associated with this world-class building."