§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current annual cost of his Department's pest advisory service; how many people are working within it; what are their professional qualifications; and if he will give its role and responsibilities.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe remit of the Department's pest control advisory service is outlined in Health Notice HN(76)186. This service is provided, in the main, by two officers—one a fellow of the Institution of Medical Laboratory Technology and the other a qualified environmental health officer—as part of their duties in the Hotel and Dietetics Services Branch. It is not possible to separately identify the cost of the pest control advisory service.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people have taken part in the training courses run by his Department's pest control advisory service; and how many people per National Health Service hospital this represents.
§ Mr. HayhoeSince 1979, 384 officers from 155 health authorities in England have attended these training courses. With possible changes in the circumstances of these officers and in the number of hospitals, it is not possible to draw a meaningful ratio of trained staff per hospital.