To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at which locations the Rural Payments Agency has had offices in each year since 2005; and how many staff the agency employed at each such office in each such year. (318846)

[holding answer 1 March 2010]: The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent staff the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has directly employed in each of its locations since 2005. Numbers reported are as at 31 March in each financial year and are in line with the agency's ‘Annual Civil Service Employment Survey’ return to the Office for National Statistics which is published as part of the annual civil service statistics report.

These figures include part-time and full-time employees of the agency and do not include agency staff and contractors.

The outstations are generally shared premises with DEFRA and/or other Government Departments and are located across the United Kingdom. The number of outstations is currently 48 but has varied from 33 and 56 between 2005 and 2009 with the merger of the Horticultural Market Inspectorate into RPA in April 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he has any proposals to reduce the number of (a) Rural Payments Agency offices and (b) staff employed at each such office. (318847)

[holding answer 1 March 2010]: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) currently operates from six main offices and there are no plans to reduce that number.

RPA reviews, and will continue to review, its operations and resources regularly to ensure customer service is delivered effectively and efficiently. It is anticipated that RPA will reduce the number of staff employed at each office during the 2010-11 year.

Plans have recently been announced to transfer SPS processing from Newcastle to the offices at Northallerton, Carlisle and Workington.

RPA operates a flexible resourcing model and staff reductions are usually achieved through the reductions of temporary and fixed term appointments with regular consultation taking place with people and trade unions on any planned staff reductions.