To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding his Department has allocated for (a) animal health and (b) increasing agricultural productivity in the South West in 2009-10. (267480)

DEFRA's annual report gives estimated figures for its total spending in 2009-10 on animal health issues through Animal Health area offices and activities and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, and on research and development directed towards improving agricultural production and productivity, but expenditure under these headings is not regionalised and so no separate figure for the south-west of England can be given.

Improving the competitiveness of the agriculture and forestry sectors is one of the objectives of Axis 1 of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). In the south-west, Axes 1 and 3 of the RDPE are delivered by the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA). DEFRA has made an indicative allocation of £30.27 million to SWRDA for Axis 1 and 3 in 2009-10.