§ Mr. NormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many(a) staff and (b) staff engaged in inspection work have been employed by (i) the Environment Agency and (ii) the Countryside Agency in each year since 1997. [105870]
§ Mr. MeacherThe number of staff employed by the Environment and Countryside Agencies is as follows:
(i) Environment Agency Year Total full time equivalents Engaged in inspection work 1997 9,123 2,926 1998 9,073 2,927 1999 9,707 2,953 2000 10,296 3,081 2001 10,476 3,031 2002 10,824 2,962 2003 11,087 2,979 467W
(ii) Countryside Agency Year Total full time equivalents 1997 1245 1998 1241 1999 1243 2000 436 2001 435 2002 520 2003 587 1Staff employed by the Countryside Commission, the main predecessor body of the Countryside Agency. The Countryside Agency was established on 1 April 1999. The Countryside Agency's has no staff engaged in inspection work, its statutory powers do not include inspection, or the appointment of inspectors.