To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average period was between (a) the state veterinary service and (b) his Department receiving urgent animal welfare complaints and the making of a visit to the premises being complained about in the latest period for which figures are available. (76339)

Any complaints received by the Department are immediately passed to the state veterinary service (SVS). The SVS aims to respond within 24 hours of receiving a complaint. The figures for April 2005 to March 2006 show the average response time was 0.5 days.