§ 8. Mr. Jim Cunningham (Coventry, South) (Lab)How many of the reductions in the numbers of civil servants announced in the spending review will take place in the Veterinary Laboratories Agency; and if she will make a statement. [185749]
§ The Minister for Rural Affairs and Local Environmental Quality (Alun Michael)Work is in progress to identify the scale of reduction in staff numbers at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency. It is too early to give specific figures.
§ Mr. CunninghamWhich other parts of his Department is my right hon. Friend looking at to reduce the numbers of staff?
§ Alun MichaelThe efficiencies coming from each of the non-Rural Payments Agency executive agencies involve the VLA, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, the Pesticides Safety Directorate and the Central Science Laboratory. The figures are being worked out to deliver the efficiencies that DEFRA has to achieve.