§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has on the present number of trading standards officers in England and Wales on 30 April and for the same period in 1987 and 1986.
§ Mr. ButcherThe information is not available for 1988 or in the form requested for the previous years. However, the following table provides figures for the years ending 31 March 1986 and 1987.
Number of qualified trading standards officers in post with local weights and measures authorities Year ending 31 March 1986 1987 England 1,277 1,196.6 Wales 95 97 Total England and Wales 1,372 1,293.6 Notes:
1. The figures have been collated from the annual returns of local weights and measures authorities.
2. Provisional figures have been entered for the small number of local weights and measures authorities for whom information is not available.