| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations concerning teachers' pay. He announced the remit for the interim advisory committee's consideration of the 1990-91 pay settlement on 26 September.
Education Act 1981
18. Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress he has made in preparing the revised circular of guidance regarding the implementation of the Education Act 1981.
Mr. Alan Howarth : Circular No. 22/89 was issued on Friday 29 September 1989. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Teacher Training
19. Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department is taking to encourage those currently in other professions to train as teachers.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The principal elements in our programme directed towards mature entrants are the new
Column 85
licensed teacher arrangements, the funding of special courses for graduates making a career change, the provision of "taster" courses, and the preparation of publicity material specifically directed at mature entrants.Higher Education (Access)
20. Mr. Boswell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from the Royal Society of Arts in support of improved access to higher education.
Mr. Jackson : My right hon. Friend has been kept informed of the Royal Society of Arts' initiative in establishing a project under the banner of the Industry Matters Education/Industry Forum, directed by Sir Christopher Ball, to consider the widening of access to higher education. I understand that an interim report is shortly to be published as a basis for further comment and consultation, and that the final report will follow thereafter.
City Technology Colleges
21. Mr. Clelland : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much public money has been allocated to city technology colleges ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : A total of £28.5 million has been spent on the city technology college programme between the inception of the programme and the end of September 1989. Further planned public expenditure to the end of the financial year 1991-92 is £93.8 million. The balance of expenditure between capital and recurrent costs will depend on a number of factors, including the nature and condition of premises acquired and the speed with which sponsors' plans are implemented.
30. Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many city technology colleges have now been announced ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : The city technology college programme is making excellent progress. Kingshurst opened last year, Nottingham and Teesside opened last month, and a further eight projects have been announced with firm opening dates in 1990 and 1991. In addition, five companies or individuals have announced their willingness to be major participants in the CTC programme.
War Studies
22. Mr. Gregory : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has concerning GCSE and advanced level courses concerning the study of war and conflict subjects.
Mrs. Rumbold : The School Examinations and Assessment Council is responsible for the approval of GCSE and advanced level examination syllabuses. I am not aware of any such syllabuses concerned exclusively with the study of war and conflict subjects. The study of war and conflict is of course sometimes included as part of an examination syllabus, in subjects such as history or a humanities subject.
Column 86
Educational Attainment
23. Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to improve educational attainment of the lowest 40 per cent. of schoolchildren.
Mrs. Rumbold : The national curriculum will raise standards of achievement for pupils of all ages and abilities.
School Activities (Charging)
24. Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any proposals to amend the law relating to charging for school activities.
Mrs. Rumbold : The new law has been in place for only one full term. It is far too soon to make firm judgments about its effects.
Nursery Teachers
25. Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to provide himself with an accurate picture of teacher supply in nursery education.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The Department collects data on vacant nursery posts. In January 1989 there were 194 vacancies. The latest primary school staffing survey shows that almost all nursery teachers had received nursery or infant specific training.
Humberside College of Higher Education
26. Mr. Cran : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in connection with Humberside college of higher education's proposal that it be afforded polytechnic designation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : The principal of Humberside college of higher education wrote to me in 1987 asking that the college be considered for designation as a polytechnic. In our initial letter of guidance to the PCFC we invited the council to offer advice on the question of further polytechnic designations. Following its last meeting the council wrote to my right hon. Friend recommending the criteria it considered a college should satisfy to merit designation as a polytechnic. My right hon. Friend has indicated that he is inclined to agree with the PCFC's advice, but that he would welcome views from those who have an interest in the issue.
London Education Authorities
28. Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from London local education authorities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend continues to receive representations on a range of matters.
Secondary School Teachers
29. Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on secondary school teacher shortages.
Column 87
Mr. Alan Howarth : In January 1989 vacancies amounted to about 1.3 per cent. of the secondary teaching force--a proportion that has remained broadly similar over many years. However, there are difficulties in filling vacancies in some areas and in some subjects. Over £50 million has been spent so far on the Department's action programme, launched in 1986 to combat these difficulties. We will continue and reinforce this programme.
Open University
31. Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received during the present year regarding funding for the Open university.
Mr. Jackson : My right hon. Friend received in January and February over 100 representations from Open university students. The Open university visiting committee, which advises him on the university's plans and their financial implications has discussed with the university its funding requirements for 1990 and subsequent years. My right hon. Friend will announce the university's grant for 1990, and the indicated grants for 1991 and 1992 later this year.
Higher Education
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the cost of each student at (a) universities and (b) polytechnics for 1979 and at the latest date for which such information is available.
Mr. Jackson : The data requested are as follows. The figures show the net institutional expenditure per student at universities (Great Britain) and polytechnics (England) in cash terms.
Net institutional expenditure<1> per
student
Financial year (£)
|1979-80|1987-88
----------------------------------------
Universities<1> |3,074 |5,719
Polytechnics<2> |2,515 |3,356
<1> The figures for universities are
based on recurrent expenditure financed
by UGC grants and tuition fee income
for home and overseas students. The
figures for polytechnics are net
recurrent institutional expenditure per
full-time student. Institutional
expenditure includes direct and
indirect costs of providing tuition but
excludes financing cost of capital
expenditure.
<2> Standard weightings have been used
to calculate numbers of full-time
equivalent students.
Schools (Data Use)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to issue advice as to whether schools are independent data users under the Data Protection Act.
Mr. Alan Howarth : My right hon. Friend has recently advised the Data Protection Registrar that in matters of school administration, with the exception of school registers, the governors of LEA-maintained schools hold electronic data as agents of the local education authority and are thus covered by the authority's data users licence. Governors keeping their registers on computer must however be licensed separately. The Department will issue guidance on this subject to authorities and schools in the near future.
Column 88
Autistic Children
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidelines he provides for the diagnosis and statementing of autistic children for (a) pre-nursery and (b) pre-school.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The Secretary of State does not provide such guidelines ; this is a matter for local education authorities. General advice to LEAs on their duties under the Education Act 1981 in relation to the making of assessments and statements of special educational need is contained in circular No. 22/89 which was issued on 29 September. I have made arrangements for the hon. Member to receive a copy of this circular, copies of which have been placed in the Library.
Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if there was any ministerial or departmental representation at the fifth assembly of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics held at Reading university in July and August.
Mr. Jackson : My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment gave the opening address at this scientific conference, which was attended by numerous scientists from the science research councils active in the fields involved.
Institute of Meat Research
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what approaches have been made by any governments to Her Majesty's Government concerning the Institute of Meat Research in Bristol ; if he will publish details ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : No such approaches have been received.
Student Unions
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on plans to reform student unions.
Mr. Jackson : We published our survey of student unions on 27 September. My right hon. Friend will come forward with proposals for changes in due course.
Student Loans
34. Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement about his student loan proposals.
Mr. Jackson : The work described in my right hon. Friend's statement on 19 June-- Official Report columns 21-22--is proceeding. We shall announce further details in due course.
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how he intends to reimburse banks for the branch cost of administering student loan repayments, deferrals and defaults ; and if he will now estimate branch costs ;
(2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Oxford, East of 24 July, Official Report, column 442, if he will publish the detailed analysis and cost-time estimates on the administration of the student loans scheme ;
Column 89
(3) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Oxford, East of 24 July, Official Report column 441, if he will now publish his assessment of the recurring costs of student loans administration in each year beyond 1995 (a) in total and (b) per account.Mr. Jackson : I cannot comment at this stage on matters which are subject to contractual negotiations. As we have made clear, the House will be informed of the major steps in the preparations for administration of the loans.
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has held, or plans to hold, with building societies concerning his proposed top-up loans for students scheme.
Mr. Jackson : The discussions with the financial institutions described in my right hon. Friend's statement on 19 June include representation of the building societies.
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if student loan debt collection agencies will have access to (a) the poll tax register, (b) the electoral register and (c) national insurance records ;
(2) what records student loan debt collection agencies will have access to.
Mr. Jackson : The loans administration company will have access to the normal range of public documents in addition to the information provided by students in making their applications.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) Official Report, 24 July, column 442, concerning the next stage of the detailed analysis of the top-up loans scheme, whether this has now been completed ; and if he will place a copy in the Library.
Mr. MacGregor : When Price Waterhouse's stage 2 report is completed, I shall place in the Library of the House copies of the report other than those parts which are commercially confidential.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department has managed any evaluation of the employment career development loan scheme piloted by the Department of Employment, in the context of his student proposals.
Column 90
Mr. MacGregor : No. The national scheme of career development loans was introduced in July 1988. The clientele for which it is intended is quite different from that for top-up loans.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Cereals
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1973 (a) the (i) guide, (ii) intervention, (iii) threshold and(iv) other prices for cereals and (b) the co-responsibility levies together with (1) the amount produced, (2) the surplus production, (3) the amount taken into intervention, (4) the corresponding world price and (5) the cost to the EEC of (x) intervention, (y) storage and (z) export refunds.
Mr. Curry : Details of the target, threshold and intervention prices for common wheat and barley since 1973 are given in table A. In addition, a separate buying-in price has operated since 1987-88 at 94 per cent. of the intervention price.
The cereals co-responsibility levy was introduced from the start of the 1986-87 marketing year. In its first two years of operation, the rate was set at 5.38 ecu-tonne. In 1988-89 the basic levy remained at 5.38 ecu- tonne, but there was also an additional levy of 2.87 ecu-tonne. in 1989-90 the basic levy is 5.22 ecu-tonne and the provisional rate of the additional levy is also 5.22 ecu-tonne. The latter will be reduced if the 1989 Community harvest does not exceed the maximum guaranteed quantity of 160 million tonnes by 3 per cent. or more.
Details of European Community cereals production, the difference between production and consumption, and the amount taken into intervention are given in table B. There is no single representative measure of world price for cereals.
Details of EC expenditure on cereals intervention storage and export refunds are given in table C.
Column 89
Table A
Cereals-Target threshold and intervention prices
Target Threshold Intervention
Year |tonne |Common Wheat|Barley |Common Wheat|Barley |Common Wheat|Barley
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1973-74 |UA |114.94 |105.29 |112.80 |103.10 |105.80 |96.66
1974-75<1> |UA |121.84 |110.55 |119.00 |107.70 |110.03 |96.60
1974-75 |UA |127.93 |116.08 |125.10 |113.25 |115.53 |101.43
1975-76 |UA |139.44 |126.99 |136.45 |124.00 |125.93 |110.96
1976-77 |UA |152.00 |137.80 |149.30 |135.10 |131.00 |116.00
1977-78 |UA |158.08 |144.97 |155.15 |142.00 |120.06 |120.06
1978-79 |UA |162.39 |147.23 |159.40 |144.25 |121.57 |121.57
1979-80 |ECU |201.42 |182.89 |197.45 |178.90 |149.17 |149.17
1980-81 |ECU |214.01 |194.32 |209.20 |189.50 |155.88 |155.88
1981-82 |ECU |230.55 |210.00 |225.55 |205.00 |165.23 |165.23
1982-83 |ECU |250.61 |228.27 |245.61 |223.27 |179.27 |179.27
1983-84 |ECU |261.41 |238.17 |256.43 |233.17 |184.58 |184.58
1984-85 |ECU |259.08 |236.30 |254.05 |231.27 |182.73 |182.73
1985-86 |ECU |254.98 |232.61 |249.95 |227.58 |179.44 |179.44
1986-87 |ECU |256.16 |233.86 |250.81 |228.51 |179.44 |170.47
1987-88 |ECU |256.10 |233.80 |251.39 |229.09 |179.44 |170.47
1988-89 |ECU |250.30 |228.00 |245.68 |223.38 |179.44 |170.47
1989-90 |ECU |241.08 |219.46 |236.74 |215.12 |174.06 |165.36
<1> Revised 1974-75 prices effective from 7 October 1984.
Table B
Cereals
Production; Production less consumption; Intervention purchases
Million tonnes
Year |Usable cereals production|Production less |Intervention purchases
|consumption
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1973-74 |104.6 |-10.8 |1.8
1974-75 |107.2 |-6.0 |2.3
1975-76 |96.4 |-13.8 |1.4
1976-77 |90.0 |-19.7 |0.4
1977-78 |102.5 |-8.9 |1.1
1978-79 |115.4 |-0.5 |1.2
1979-80 |113.7 |-1.9 |2.2
1980-81 |124.8 |+7.8 |4.7
1981-82 |122.3 |+6.9 |2.4
1982-83 |131.4 |+17.3 |8.5
1983-84 |123.3 |+6.3 |4.0
1984-85 |151.4 |+32.5 |13.2
1985-86 |160.4 |+17.2 |11.9
1986-87 |154.4 |+14.8 |5.5
1987-88 |153.4 |+20.0 |4.8
<1>1988-89 |163.2 |+26.2 |3.7
<1>Provisional figures.
<2>1973-74 to 1979-80-Figures are for EC 9.
1980-81 to 1984-85-Figures are for EC 10.
1985-86 to 1988-89-Figures are for EC 12.
Column 92
Table C: EC Budget Expenditure-Cereals 1973-1989
|Export refunds (including|Public intervention
|food aid) |storage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1973 |195.4 |29.9
1974 |31.7 |11.8
1975 |143.2 |23.4
1976 |158.7 |28.1
1977 |135.7 |9.4
1978 |494.3 |39.2
1979 |769.1 |76.9
1980 |711.3 |128.9
1981 |671.8 |227.2
1982 |594.0 |252.9
1983 |894.5 |331.8
1984 |536.3 |207.8
1985 |633.2 |476.4
1986 |1,108.9 |869.6
1987 |2,270.7 |672.1
1988 |2,042.5 |844.6
1989 |3,834.1 |1,316.8
Note.-The figures for 1973-77 have been converted for units of accounts. It is not possible to convert
mua to mecu accurately. Therefore these figures do not strictly compare with figures for later years.
Source:
1973-87 FEOGA Financial Reports
1988 Provisional Outturn
1989 Budget Conjunctive Document
Column 93
EC Support
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for 1988 and 1987 the amount each European Economic Community state received from the European Economic Community by way of support for agriculture, the percentage share of the total, and the amount paid into the European Economic Community as a percentage of own resources payments.
Column 94
Mr. Maclean : The attached table shows by member state the amount and percentage share of expenditure from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund (EAGGF) in 1987 and 1988, and the amount and percentage share of own resource payments in 1987. Own resource figures for 1988 are not available as the European Court of Auditors report for 1988 will not be published by the Commission until December 1989.
Column 93
EC expenditure-EAGGF and own resources
£ million
1987 1988 1987 1988
|Total EAGGF |Percentage of EC total|Total EAGGF |Percentage of EC total|Own resources |Percentage of total |Own resources
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belgium |606 |3.5 |501 |2.6 |1,225 |4.8 |n/a
Denmark |775 |4.5 |832 |4.2 |608 |2.4 |n/a
Germany |2,967 |17.3 |3,416 |17.5 |6,751 |26.5 |n/a
Greece |1,023 |6.0 |985 |5.0 |245 |1.0 |n/a
Spain |451 |2.6 |1,342 |6.9 |1,229 |4.8 |n/a
France |4,250 |24.7 |4,403 |22.5 |5,273 |20.7 |n/a
Ireland |754 |4.4 |789 |4.0 |243 |1.0 |n/a
Italy |2,919 |17.0 |3,086 |15.8 |3,734 |14.7 |n/a
Luxembourg |4 |0.02 |4 |0.02 |53 |0.2 |n/a
Netherlands |1,975 |11.5 |2,603 |13.3 |1,702 |6.7 |n/a
Portugal |127 |0.7 |175 |0.9 |246 |1.0 |n/a
United Kingdom |1,321 |7.7 |1,409 |7.2 |4,120 |16.2 |n/a
|------- |------- |-------
Total European Communities |17,175 |19,556 |35,349
n/a=Figures not available.
EC (Membership Cost)
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will bring up to date table M in his Department's submission to the Treasury and Civil Service Committee on the "Financial and Economic Consequences of United Kingdom Membership of the European Economic Community" (HC Paper 57-II) of Session 1984-85.
Mr. Curry : Estimates are no longer prepared on the basis requested. Detailed information on the incomes, assets and liabilities of farm businesses by farm type and country is contained within the 1989 edition of "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom," a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Guaranteed Prices
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the ratio of the United Kingdom guaranteed price for (a) cereals, (b) dairy products, (c) oils and fats and (d) edible meats in : (i) 1988 and (ii) 1968.
Mr. MacLean : Details of guaranteed prices determined for 1968-69 are set out in the "Annual Review and Determination of Guarantees 1968" (Cmnd. 3558) pp 44-45, which is available in the Library of the House. Information on support prices for 1988-89 is contained in the note on common agricultural policy prices settlement 1988-89 which was deposited in the Library of the House on 4 August 1988.
Column 94
Zoonoses Testing
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent (a) broiler chickens, (b) turkeys and (c) egg-laying flocks have been subject to zoonoses testing ; and why there are differences in the frequency thereof.
Mr. Curry : The Testing of Poultry Flocks Order 1989 requires all commercial laying flocks of domestic fowls, and flocks over 25 birds supplying eggs or birds for breeding purposes, to be tested for salmonella at eight-week intervals. These requirements, introduced as part of the Government's measures to tackle the problem of salmonella in eggs, are shortly to be replaced by new provisions which inter alia will extend the requirements relating to breeding flocks to cover turkeys.
There is no requirement for testing of broiler birds but the provisions on breeding flocks apply to broiler breeders and will be used as the basis for necessary control measures when infection is found.
New Zealand Lamb
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report the landed price before payment of duty of imports of New Zealand lamb in 1988, 1978 and 1968 together with (i) the average New Zealand export price, (ii) the corresponding price paid to British farmers, (iii) imports from New Zealand and Australia and (iv) United Kingdom production, imports, exports and consumption of sheepmeat.
Mr. Curry : The average cif price (the nearest equivalent to a landed' price) for New Zealand lamb was 103 pence/kg (p/kg) in 1988. No figures are available for 1968 and 1978 or for average fob export prices.
Column 95
The average prices (including variable premium) paid to British farmers for lamb have been as follows :Year |Quality (tonnes) --------------------------------------------------- 1968 |586,000 1978 |409,000 1988 |372,000 (Source: HM Customs and Excise)
Year |Quality (tonnes) --------------------------------------------------- 1968 |586,000 1978 |409,000 1988 |372,000 (Source: HM Customs and Excise)
Year |Quality (tonnes) --------------------------------------------------- 1968 |586,000 1978 |409,000 1988 |372,000 (Source: HM Customs and Excise)
Year |Quality (tonnes) --------------------------------------------------- 1968 |586,000 1978 |409,000 1988 |372,000 (Source: HM Customs and Excise)
Year |Quality (tonnes) --------------------------------------------------- 1968 |586,000 1978 |409,000 1988 |372,000 (Source: HM Customs and Excise)
Year |Quality (tonnes) --------------------------------------------------- 1968 |586,000 1978 |409,000 1988 |372,000 (Source: HM Customs and Excise)
Year |Quality (tonnes) --------------------------------------------------- 1968 |586,000 1978 |409,000 1988 |372,000 (Source: HM Customs and Excise)
Broadleaved Woodlands
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions the Forestry Commission awarded grants under the broadleaved woodland grant scheme in England, between its inception
Column 96
in 1985 and closure in 1988 ; and on how many occasions the grant of £100 for obtaining professional advice, in the preparation of a plan of operation under the scheme, was awarded.Mr. Maclean : To date, the Forestry Commission has approved 5,159 applications for grant under the broadleaved woodland grant scheme in England. The grant of £100 has been paid on 830 of those applications.
Animals (Import and Export)
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will tabulate in the Official Report all existing animal health and disease checks, restrictions, examinations, or certifications concerning import and export of all live animals and birds to and from the United Kingdom, with reference to their respective statutory bases, together with the relevant proposals of the Commission of the European Economic Community contained in, or foreshadowed by, documents 4183/89, 4830/89 and 5057/89 indicating in each case, whether the proposed changes are acceptable or unacceptable to Her Majesty's Government.
Mr. Curry : It would be impracticable to publish in the Official Report the hundreds of import licences and export certificates which exist.
Our import conditions are designed to prevent the introduction of animal disease, and relate to the species concerned and the animal health status of the countries of origin. Among other things we may require an appropriate pre-export testing and isolation and post-import quarantine, post-import isolation plus testing. For exports, the requirements depend on European Community rules where they exist and in other cases on those of the authorisation of the countries of destination.
The statutory basis for import licences and export certification are derived from the following orders :
Importation of Animals Order 1977
Importation of Birds, Poultry and Hatching Eggs Order 1979 Importation of Equine Animals Order 1979
Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974 Exportation of Pigeons Order 1983
The Diseases of Animals (Export Health Certificates) Order 1985 As to the EC Commission's proposals for harmonised animal health rules for trade in sheep and goats (document 4183/89), bovine embryos (document 4389/89), and poultry and hatching eggs (document 5057/89) I refer the hon. Member to the explanatory memoranda, copies of which were deposited in the Library and to the debate on them which took place on 18 July at columns 294-315.
Herbicide Resistance
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department was represented at the 11th Long Ashton international symposium on herbicide resistance in weeds and crops.
Mr. Curry : The Ministry was represented by four members of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (one of whom gave an invited talk at the symposium dinner).
Column 97
Warm Water Fish
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has made any assessment of the findings of the Marine Biological Association and Plymouth marine laboratory released in August, that there have been significant increases in warm water fish species found off the south-west coast of the British Isles.
Mr. Curry : I am aware of the long hydro-biological time series referred to. Changes occur continuously for many reasons. We keep the matter under review.
National Fruit Collection
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what areas have been identified in relation to (a) climate and (b) soil conditions as a successor-home to Brogdale for the national fruit collection ; what representations he has had from Wye college for taking responsibility for Brogdale ; and what is his cost estimate of taking four grafts of every specimen or variety and replanting them in suitable soil conditions, on a site other than Brogdale.
Mr. Curry : The Ministry is in negotiation with two organisations, the East Malling Trust and Wye college, which have both expressed an interest in taking on the management of the national fruit collection. This would involve moving the collection from Brogdale to either East Malling or Wye respectively. Consideration of these two sites will include an assessment of the suitability of climate and soil conditions. The costs of moving the collection by propagation and replanting will vary depending on the precise arrangements but initial estimates suggest that the total costs (including all materials and labour) could be of the order of £100,000 to £150,000, which would be spread over a four or five-year period.
| Next Section
| Home Page |