§ Mr. BaileyTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her reply of 10 June 2002, ref. 53704, on illegal meat imports, 919W how many (a) operational enforcement officers were employed in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999. (iv) 2000, (v) 2001 and (vi) 2002 to date and (b) seizures of illegal meat imports there were in each of those years. [62612]
§ Mr. MorleyThere are enforcement officers employed by local and port health authorities, HM Customs and Excise, Meat Hygiene Service and DEFRA who contribute directly or indirectly to policing laws on meat imports. Total numbers are not held centrally.
A central database of information on seizures was created in April 2001. The details of seizures made during 2001 and the beginning of 2002 are still being received. Our database currently shows 1,224 seizures of consignments containing meat made in 2001 and 274 seizures in 2002.