Food Standards Agency

HC Deb 30 January 2002 vol 379 cc422-3W

Mr. Evans

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed by the Food Standards Agency in(a) the north-west and (b) Lancashire. [27858]

Yvette Cooper

In the north-west (defined as covering Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria) 180 staff currently work for the Food Standards Agency and the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), which is an executive agency of the FSA. Of these, 90 staff work in Lancashire.

The MHS also employs some 49 contract official veterinary surgeons in the north-west, of which 16 are in Lancashire. The actual numbers vary from week to week.

Mr. Evans

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed by the Food Standards Agency in Wales. [28656]

Yvette Cooper

21 staff currently work for the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Wales. Of these, 18 staff are on loan from the National Assembly for Wales.

The Meat Hygiene Service, which is an executive agency of the FSA, employs a further 241 staff. The Meat Hygiene Service also employs some 55 official veterinary surgeons on contract although the actual number varies from week to week.