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23 Jan 2008 : Column 2015W—continued

i. For small dogs (less than 12 kilograms): sleeping area not less than 1.1 square metres, width and length not less than 0.9 m. Adjoining exercise area not less than 3.7 square metres, width not less than 0.9 metres.

ii. For medium dogs (12 kilograms to 30 kilograms): sleeping area not less than 1.4 square metres, width and length not less than 1.2 metres. Adjoining exercise area not less than 5.5 square metres, width not less than 1.2 metres.

iii. For large dogs (more than 30 kilograms): sleeping area not less than 1.4 square metres, width and length not less than 1.2 metres. Adjoining exercise area not less than 7.4 square metres, width not less than 1.2 metres.

iv. For cats, the individual cat units should be of the walk in type not less than 1.8 metres high. The sleeping compartment plus exercise run must have a total floor area of at least 1.4 square metres, and both the length and width should be at least 0.9 metres. Cat units should contain ample shelf room for climbing and resting, preferably provided both inside and out. A suitable abrasive surface for nail trimming should be provided, such as a scratching post. In shared units, each cat should have its own bed.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consideration has been given to administering inoculations against rabies to animals in quarantine in the UK. [180427]

Jonathan Shaw: All cats and dogs are required to be vaccinated against rabies within 48 hours of arrival in an approved quarantine premise. This vaccination is to protect the animal during quarantine and may not necessarily have any effect on animals already harbouring the disease at the time of arrival.

Avian Influenza: Hazardous Substances

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance his Department has received from the World Animal Health Organisation on the storage of the H5N1 virus between the taking of samples and testing. [181054]

Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 22 January 2008]: The samples for routine dead wild bird surveillance are collected according to standardised protocols, accredited to a United Kingdom Accreditation Service International Standards Organisation 17025 quality system. DEFRA employs the diagnostic expertise of the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), Weybridge, which is the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) and European Union Reference Laboratory for avian influenza (AI). Our sampling, collection, storage and transportation methods are
23 Jan 2008 : Column 2016W
entirely consistent with international and EU standards. We continually revise and subject all aspects of our AI surveillance activities to peer review in light of new international evidence as it arises.

The OIE produces a ‘Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines’ that contains recommendations for sample collection and transport. The VLA contribute to the production of such materials and also adhere to them.

Bluetongue Disease: Disease Control

Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what bluetongue movement restrictions have been relaxed following the declaration of a vector-free period for bluetongue; and if he will make a statement. [180179]

Jonathan Shaw: The vector-free period is a time during the winter when evidence shows that midge activity is at its lowest and when there is no evidence of transmission of disease by midges. The vector-free period began on 20 December 2007. This means that movements to live out of the protection and surveillance zones can take place under strict conditions, including pre-movement testing. In addition, the strict timing conditions for movements to slaughter in the free area have been removed during the vector-free period. Further information can be found on the bluetongue pages of the DEFRA website.

Based on historical data, this period may continue into March 2008, but will be kept under review in the light of midge activity and weather conditions.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long it takes for the results of a pre-movement bovine tuberculosis test on an animal to be known; and for animals which are not reactors for how long after that test time they may be moved without a further test. [178361]

Jonathan Shaw: The results of a TB skin test are read 72 hours/three days after the injection of tuberculin. Skin test results are provided to the farmer on the day the test results are read.

All cattle over 42 days old moving out of a high risk herd must have tested negative to the tuberculin skin test to be eligible to move, unless the herd or movement is exempt. The injection of tuberculin (day one of the test) must have taken place no more than 60 days before the date of movement.

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cattle were tested for bovine tuberculosis in 2007; and of those how many reactors there were. [178362]

Jonathan Shaw: Latest provisional statistics indicate that 5,367,901 cattle were tested for bovine tuberculosis in Great Britain between 1 January and 30 November 2007. Of these, 23,330 animals were identified as reactors.⁽¹⁾

⁽¹⁾ Provisional figures, subject to change as more data become available. Figures include both tuberculin and gamma interferon tests and subsequent reactors.

23 Jan 2008 : Column 2017W

Countryside Stewardship Scheme: Cornwall

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects full payment to be made in respect of The Eastmoor Commoners Ltd. (Cornwall) single payment scheme entitlement for 2005 and 2006. [179753]

Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 17 January 2008]: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has checked its records and is unable to identify The Eastmoor Commoners Ltd. (Cornwall). In order to state when full payment will be made RPA will require The Eastmoor Commoners Ltd. (Cornwall) Single Business Identifier (SBI) number.

23 Jan 2008 : Column 2018W

Departmental Manpower

Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civil servants there are in each pay grade in each directorate within his Department; and what the equivalent figures were on (a) 1 April 2004 and (b) 1 October 2001. [180488]

Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 21 January 2008]: The number of staff (full-time equivalents) in each grade in each directorate in DEFRA as at 31 December 2007 is shown in the following table. Information for the earlier dates is not available.

23 Jan 2008 : Column 2019W

23 Jan 2008 : Column 2020W

Group	Directorate	AA	AO	EO	HEO	SEO	G7	G6	SCS	Total
Climate Change Group	Climate Change Group	—	—	1.00	2.00	2.00	2.00	—	2.00	9.00
	Domestic Climate Change and Energy	—	19.00	28.00	47.30	21.83	33.57	7.00	6.00	162.70
	International Climate, Air and Analysis	—	12.01	18.56	41.80	12.44	27.58	3.00	5.00	120.40
	Office of Climate Change	—	2.00	3.00	13.00	3.00	17.00	5.89	5.00	48.89
	Sustainable Consumption and Production and Waste	—	16.78	34.56	53.27	17.78	38.69	1.30	9.00	171.37
Climate Change Group Total		—	49.79	85.11	157.37	57.06	118.84	17.19	27.00	512.36
Finance, Planning and Resources	Finance, Planning and Resources	1.00	17.06	28.00	31.00	31.80	18.00	6.00	4.00	136.86
Food and Farming Group	Cap Reform and Portfolio	4.00	33.49	28.50	51.18	10.83	30.47	5.69	8.00	172.16
	Delivery Change and Portfolio	—	8.00	7.00	15.00	3.00	10.20	4.00	3.00	50.20
	Farming for the Future and Portfolio	2.18	9.00	15.60	24.47	10.80	15.01	2.00	4.00	83.06
	Food Chain and Portfolio	21.16	50.77	52.35	126.90	26.83	30.49	8.00	6.94	323.45
	International Trade and Portfolio	7.22	39.21	33.60	27.30	9.00	24.00	10.40	7.00	157.73
	Responsibility and Cost Sharing Portfolio	4.81	11.74	16.00	28.80	12.81	13.00	5.00	4.76	96.92
	Food and Farming Group Business Support Unit	—	4.36	6.64	2.00	2.00	3.50	—	2.00	20.50
Food and Farming Group Total		39.37	156.58	159.69	275.64	75.27	126.68	35.09	35.70	904.01
Legal Group	Legal Group Solicitor and Director General	—	—	1.00	—	—	—	—	1.00	2.00
	Legal A Services	—	3.00	—	—	—	19.04	25.42	7.00	54.47
	Legal B Services	2.00	11.64	7.00	2.00	2.00	11.21	17.64	5.75	59.23
Legal Group Total		2.00	14.64	8.00	2.00	2.00	30.25	43.06	13.75	115.70
Natural Environment Group	Local Environment, Chemicals and Rural	—	10.22	18.00	24.00	19.00	15.19	1.00	5.29	92.70
	Marine and Fisheries	2.00	7.00	16.00	32.00	10.57	16.52	1.00	5.00	90.09
	Natural Environment Group	—	3.00	2.00	5.00	5.69	1.00	—	2.00	18.69
	Water	1.00	14.25	22.00	36.47	32.00	30.95	7.00	6.00	149.67
	Wildlife and Countryside	1.68	16.45	35.08	43.41	16.23	25.25	3.78	8.00	149.88
Natural Environment Group Total		4.68	50.93	93.08	140.88	83.49	88.91	12.78	26.29	501.03
Renew DEFRA Group	Renewing DEFRA Programme	—	—	2.00	3.00	4.00	3.60	2.00	—	14.60
Service Transformation Group	Chief Information Officer	11.70	15.03	22.32	30.55	20.76	18.00	11.00	5.00	134.37
	Communications	2.00	13.39	32.02	44.43	17.49	9.94	8.80	3.00	131.07
	Customer Focus	—	5.00	7.00	17.00	4.00	10.81	1.00	3.60	48.41
	Estates	—	3.00	9.00	5.00	4.00	8.00	1.00	1.00	31.00
	People and Performance	28.00	38.75	24.29	39.50	30.78	31.00	10.86	13.22	216.41
	Shared Services	26.07	181.89	70.01	20.35	18.61	11.00	2.00	5.00	334.93
	STG Finance Team	—	4.00	5.00	2.00	1.60	1.00	1.80	1.60	17.00
Service Transformation Group Total		67.77	261.06	169.64	158.83	97.24	89.75	36.46	32.42	913.19
Strategy and Evidence Group	Central Analytical Directorate	—	—	2.00	5.00	1.00	5.00	2.00	2.00	17.00
	Science	—	5.00	6.68	8.00	8.00	9.00	—	3.79	40.47
	Strategy and Evidence Group	1.00	2.67	5.00	3.72	1.00	—	—	2.00	15.39
	Strategy and Sustainable Development	—	13.00	23.00	49.36	11.67	27.21	4.00	7.65	135.88
Strategy and Evidence Group Total		1.00	20.67	36.68	66.08	21.67	41.21	6.00	15.44	208.74
DEFRA Total		115.81	570.71	582.20	834.80	372.53	517.24	158.59	154.60	3306.48

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