§ Mr. LazarowiczTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many telephone helplines are sponsored by her Department; and which of these helplines are charged at(a) national rate, (b) premium rate and (c) local rate. [95710]
§ Alun MichaelDefra operates 13 helpline telephone numbers, of which two are free of charge, five are charged at local rate and the remainder are charged at national rate. Of these one is a central Defra helpline, seven are operated by Rural Payments Agency, one each by the British Cattle Movement Service, Pets Helpline, Animal Movements, Agricultural Wages Board and Environmental Impact Assessment.
A number of Defra telephone phone lines are published via the Department's website and in printed publications as contact points for enquiries on specific 97W subjects. These services are not established or operated under the same criteria as the helplines referred to above.
Similar details for other agencies and non-departmental bodies sponsored by the Department could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.