National Measurement and Regulation Office

National Measurement and Regulation Office

Abbreviation	NMRO
Dissolved	2016
Type	Executive agency
Region served	United Kingdom
Chief Executive	Peter Mason (acting)
Parent organisation	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Website	www.gov.uk/government/organisations/national-measurement-and-regulation-office

The National Measurement and Regulation Office (NMRO) was an executive agency of the UK Government's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Its function is to provide a measurement infrastructure which supports innovation, facilitates fair competition, promotes international trade and protects consumers and the environment.

The current (Acting) Chief Executive of the agency is Richard Sanders, who was appointed in 2014.

History

The Agency was created as National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) in 1987 from a reorganisation of the Standards Department when it moved from its previous location in central London to a new, purpose-built facility in Teddington which was officially opened by HRH The Duke of Kent on the 9th of April 1987.^[1]

Until June 28, 2007 it was an Agency of the Department of Trade and Industry. It then became part of the newly formed Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. In 2009 an agency moved to Department for Business Innovation and Skills and until April 2015 was known as the National Measurement Office (NMO). In April 2015 office was renamed to National Measurement and Regulation Office and by 1 April 2016 it was merged with Better Regulation Delivery Office to form Regulatory Delivery directorate in Department for Business Innovation and Skills.^[2]

Roles

The NMO is responsible for the setting of the strategic direction of the measurement infrastructure, aligning policy and legislation, managing the national scientific and legal metrological activities and representing the UK in international activities on measurement. In addition, the NMO acts as a National Enforcement Authority for a range of EU-based environmental legislation and carries out commercial activities which rely on measurement expertise.

Scientific metrology

The Agency has responsibility for the National Measurement System (NMS) which is the UK's national infrastructure of laboratories that are involved with the science and technology of measurement. It has responsibility for maintaining the national primary standards (mass, length, time, temperature etc.) and disseminating the associated measurements and technologies to the UK for trade and measurement purposes.

Legal metrology

The Agency is also responsible for examining and approving new measuring instruments and equipment which are ultimately intended for use in trade in order to establish their compliance with national legislation such as the Weights and Measures Act 1985 and relevant EU legislation. The Agency also makes available to manufacturers of such equipment a consultancy service, intended to be used throughout different stages of the equipment's development. They also provide calibration and testing services to both local authorities and private businesses, as well as training in aspects of legal metrology to national and international clients.

References

↑ "The Teddington site 1987 to present". National Measurement Office. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
↑ "BRDO and NMRO combine to simplify regulation for British business". National Measurement and Regulation Office. Retrieved 15 July 2016.

External links

Official website

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Ministers	Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Minister of State for Universities and Science Minister of State for Business and Enterprise Minister of State for Trade and Investment Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

Executive agencies	Companies House HM Land Registry Insolvency Service Intellectual Property Office Met Office National Measurement and Regulation Office Skills Funding Agency UK Space Agency

Non-departmental public bodies	Acas British Hallmarking Council Construction Industry Training Board Council for Science and Technology Higher Education Funding Council for England Innovate UK Low Pay Commission Office for Fair Access UK Atomic Energy Authority UK Commission for Employment and Skills

Research councils	Arts and Humanities Research Council Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Economic and Social Research Council Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Medical Research Council Natural Environment Research Council Science and Technology Facilities Council

Other	British Business Bank Government Office for Science Groceries Code Adjudicator Manufacturing Advisory Service Office of Manpower Economics Ordnance Survey Public Data Group Shareholder Executive Student Loans Company UK Green Investment Bank Wave Hub

Category

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