The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.
Mr. Norman
To 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. Meacher
The 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 |
| (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.