To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many expert European negotiators he has in his Department; what tasks they are engaged in; and if he will make a statement. (128588)

A substantial proportion of Defra's work on environment, agriculture, fisheries and animal health and welfare policy is connected with EU decision-making processes. Therefore, at any given time, a considerable number of our policy experts will be engaged in different kinds of EU negotiations, ranging from ad hoc informal groups through to high-level formal negotiations.