HC Deb 05 March 2003 vol 400 cc1102-3W
Mr. Norman

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many inspection staff have been employed by(a) the Office of Fair Trading and (b) the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate in each year since 1997. [100213]

Miss Melanie Johnson

(a) The number of inspection staff employed by the Office of Fair Trading in each year since 1997 is as follows:

1997 0
1998 0
1999 0
2000 12
2001 12
2002 12
2003 15

(b) The number of inspection staff employed by Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate in each year since 1997 is as follows:

1997 9
1998 9
1999 9
2000 13
2001 13
2002 14
2003 14

For both sets of figures, the term inspection staff has been taken to mean investigations staff authorised to enter premises.

Mr. Norman

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) staff and (b) inspection staff were employed by the Office of Telecommunications in each year since 1997. [99762]

Mr. Timms

The numbers of staff employed by Oftel since 1997 by financial year are set out below.

Year Number of Stuff Employed
1996–1997 161
1997–1998 176
1998–1999 181
1999–2000 195
2000–2001 208
2001–2002 232
2002–2003 235 (estimated)

Oftel does not employ any inspection staff.

Mr. Norman

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) staff and (b) inspection staff have been employed by the Office of Fair Trading in each year since 1997. [99764]

Miss Melanie Johnson

(a) The total number of staff employed by the Office of Fair Trading on 1 April each year since 1997 is as follows:

1997 413
1998 417
1999 428
2000 449
2001 461
2002 556
2003 (January) 645

(b) The number of inspection staff employed by the Office of Fair Trading on 1 April each year since 1997 is as follows:

1997 0
1998 0
1999 0
2000 12
2001 12
2002 12
2003 (January) 15

The term inspection staff has been taken to mean investigations staff authorised to enter premises.