asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, since its formation, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has had an underspend; if so, how much was underspent; and within which financial year the underspend occurred.[HL7968]

Defra has underspent against its final departmental expenditure limit (DEL) each year since its formation, as follows:

2001-02—£177.702 million

2002-03—£148.411 million

2003-04—£258.617 million

2004-05—£163.198 million

2005-06—£1.102 million (provisional)