§ Mr. CarmichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many qualified veterinary surgeons were employed by the state veterinary service in each year since 1979. [1983]
§ Mr. MorleyThe number of veterinary surgeons employed by the state veterinary service at 1 January each year since 1979, is given in the table. The hon. Member may wish to know that since this date the state veterinary service has changed several times. The Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), which previously formed part of the state veterinary service, became the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) in April 1990. The CVL figures are incorporated in this return for the years 1 January 1980 to 1 January 1990. From 1990 the figures do not include the CVL. The Veterinary Investigation Service became part of the VLA on 1 October 1995 and is not included in these figures from that date. In 2000, there were 99 veterinarians employed by VLA. Much of the information presented here previously appeared on 27 February 1997,Official Report, columns 323–24W.
Of the 286 full-time equivalent veterinarians employed by the state veterinary service, 220 are employed as field veterinary officers. The work of these officers is supplemented by about 100 Temporary Veterinary Inspectors (TVIs) from the private sector in normal times.
284W
Year Number of vets 1979 597.5 1980 580.5 1981 563.5 1982 557.0 1983 549.0 1984 539.5 1985 527.5 1986 506.5 1987 464.5 1988 444.5 1989 422.0 1990 430.5 1991 408.0 1992 414.5 1993 420.0 1994 408.3 1995 394.5 1996 301.2
Year Number of vets 1997 289.5 1998 302.0 1999 283.0 2000 284.0 2001 286.0