§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Trading Standards Professionals were employed by local authorities in(a) 2001 and (b) 2002 and how many are budgeted to be employed by local authorities in (i) 2003 and (ii) 2004. [110359]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe total number of Trading Standards Professionals employed by local authorities in England and Wales for 2000–01 and 2001–02 was 3732.1 and 3586.9 respectively.
The total number of staff in Trading Standards Authorities in Scotland for 2000–01 and 2001–02 was 534.5 and 511.6 respectively.
The data for the budgeted total numbers of Trading Standards professionals to be employed by local authorities in 2003–04 are not yet available. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance is currently collecting this data in an annual return.