1 All methods should be written down clearly and concisely giving easy to follow stepwise instructions.

2 Procedures should then be passed to the person responsible for the control of laboratory procedures (PRCLP) in the collection. The PRCLP may make proposals to change, to amend or to reject a procedure.

3 After the procedure has been accepted the PRCLP will assign a unique identification number to the procedure (e.g. PC/1998/2/3.2). This number reflects the section (PC/ for Plant Cells), year and month of preparation (YYYY/MM/), the part of the guidelines (1. to 4.) and a procedure number (1 to 99).

4 After drafting a procedure it should be passed to the head of the collection or to a person designated by the head for signature.

5 A list of recipients of signed procedures and document locations is retained by the PRCLP.

6 All procedures concerning a laboratory should be placed in clearly identified files which also contain an inventory of all procedures. The files should be available in that laboratory.

7 All procedures of the collection and an inventory of all procedures is to be found in the collection office and is stored in a computer file.

8 Proposals to amend a procedure should be forwarded to the PRCLP and must be authorised by the head of the collection or by a person designated by the head.

1 On a two years basis the PRCLP will pass copies of procedures to the head of appropriate laboratories for review by staff in their laboratory.

2 Amendments will be approved by the PRCLP. Revised copies will be produced as before (step 4 above), signed and issued. Earlier copies are made invalid but are kept for a further period of 5 years.