§ 3. Mr. John Wellsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many seminars have been sponsored by his Department in the last 12 months based on leaflet 2010 issued by his Department and reprinted in 1981; in which areas they were held; and how many farmers attended each seminar.
§ Mr. MacGregorNine seminars have been sponsored by the Department in the last 12 months based on booklet 2010 on "Succession, Retirement and Inheritance" which is concerned with the social and economic aspects of retirement and handing over a farm business, with a total of 1,041 farmers attending.
With permission I will publish in the Official Report details of the venues and the number of farmers attending each seminar.
§ Mr. WellsWill my hon. Friend cause the leaflet to be updated and reprinted, in view of the Budget resolutions? In any future seminars after a reprinted edition is available, will there be a facility for reputable pensions organisations to carry out follow-up lectures, because as presently organised the seminars appear to operate in a vacuum?
§ Mr. MacGregorWe intend to revise the booklet in due course to take into account not only my hon. Friend's point but also, I hope, the changes that will take place in the Agricultural Holdings Bill. I am obviously keen to encourage representatives from the private sector to attend the seminars, and I understand that they do. We go out of our way to stress the importance of getting independent professional advice, and I shall certainly consider what my hon. Friend said about that.
§ Following is the information:
| Venue | Attendance by Farmers |
| 1. Newark, Nottinghamshire | 110 |
| 2. Colchester, Essex | 65 |
| 3. Kidlington, Oxfordshire | 84 |
| 4. Sparsholt, Hampshire | 151 |
| 5. Wye College, Kent | 236 |
| 6. Newquay, Cornwall | 115 |
| 7. Newcastle Emlyn, Dyfed | 80 |
| 8. Preston, Lancashire | 80 |
| 9. Brecon, Powys | 120 |
| TOTAL ATTENDANCE | 1,041 |