HC Deb 20 June 2002 vol 387 cc483-4W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she plans to change the number of her Department's regional offices. [61542]

Mr. Morley

The State Veterinary Service (SVS) proposes when resources become available, to realign its animal health divisional office boundaries to coincide with the boundaries of Government offices in order to improve disease emergency response capability. Although a bid has been made to allow the possibility of opening an additional regional office, this will be only one of the issues that may be considered in any accompanying review of the hierarchy of the SVS, and no final decisions have yet been taken.

No other changes to the number of offices in DEFRA's regional structure are planned.