§ 17. Mr. CoakerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the change in the number of veterinarians employed by the state veterinary service was(a) from 1979–80 to 1997–98 and (b) from 1997–98 to date. [155694]
§ Ms QuinThe State Veterinary Service employed 597 full-time equivalents in 1979. In 1997 there were 289 full-time equivalents in the Service. At present there are 286 full-time equivalent veterinarians in the Service. There are currently over 1,200 veterinarians working to control foot and mouth disease.