DEFRA provides paternity leave to allow partners to support the prime carer and spend time with a new child following a birth or adoption.
The number of staff who took paternity leave and the average length of such leave in DEFRA and its agencies is shown in the following table.
Number of staff Average length of leave (days) 2004-05 DEFRA, VMD 24 16 CEFAS 6 10 CSL n/a n/a RPA 25 11 VLA 8 15 2005-06 DEFRA, GDS, MFA, VMD 61 14 AH 10 12 CEFAS 10 13 CSL n/a n/a RPA 24 11 VLA 11 15 2006-07 DEFRA, GDS, MFA, VMD 38 14 AH 12 14 CEFAS 12 15 CSL n/a n/a RPA 26 16 VLA 20 15 2007-08 DEFRA, GDS, MFA, VMD 35 14 AH 20 14 CEFAS 8 15 CSL 6 10 RPA 36 17 VLA 19 15 2008-09 DEFRA, GDS, MFA, VMD 35 14 AH 20 14 CEFAS 6 15 CSL 8 10 RPA 32 16 VILA 19 15 Key: AH =Animal Health Agency CEFAS = Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science CSL = Central Science Laboratory GDS = Government Decontamination Service MFA = Marine and Fisheries Agency RPA = Rural Payments Agency VLA = Veterinary Laboratories Agency VMD = Veterinary Medicines Directorate