Written question asked by David Lidington (Conservative) on Monday, 15 September 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 October 2003. It was answered by Baroness Beckett (Labour) on Monday, 6 October 2003 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many gardens and nurseries have been visited by her Department's staff during 2003 in order to take samples to test for phytopthera ramorum; what the timescale is for the testing programme; how many staff are employed on the testing programme; and if she will make a statement. - Includes figures.

Answer: Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many gardens and nurseries have been visited by her Department's staff during 2003 in order to take samples to test for Phytophthora ramorum; what the timescale is for the testing programme; how many staff are employed on the testing programme; and if she will make a statement. [130854] Margaret Beckett: Since 1 January 2003, staff from Defra's Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate, the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate and the Central Science Laboratory have visited 2,961 parks, gardens, nurseries and other retail outlets in order to take samples to test for Phytophthora ramorum. Up to 14 scientific staff from the Central Science Laboratory are directly involved in the process of testing for this disease and each routine test can take up to seven days. Defra has committed resources to continue the visits and the testing programme at least until the end of March 2004.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 130854; 410 c1188W
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Diseases Gardens Staff Nurseries Testing Trees Phytophthora ramorum
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk