HC Deb 14 March 1985 vol 75 cc417-8
1. Mr. Kirkwood

asked the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the proposed cuts in the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service funding outlined in the White Paper on public expenditure.

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Michael Jopling)

A small number of representations have been received expressing concern about the proposed cuts.

Mr. Kirkwood

Does the Minister acknowledge that one of the reasons why the agriculture industry has had such success in increasing productivity is to the research and development work and advisory service of ADAS? Does he further acknowledge that the industry is under a great deal of pressure at the moment to try to conform to more environmental regimes of farming, to increase animal welfare and to deal with the whole question of high input, high output, farming? If the right hon. Gentleman acknowledges those things, does he agree that it is inapposite and inappropriate at this time to cut the ADAS budget in the way that he is proposing?

Mr. Jopling

I gladly acknowledge the esteem in which ADAS is held and the quality of service for which ADAS is well known. I believe that it was right to ask Professor Bell to report. He recommended that the beneficiaries of services provided by ADAS should contribute to the cost of those services. I consider it only right that the industry should be given the opportunity to help to maintain the service that it requires.

Sir John Farr

Does my right hon. Friend recognise that the quality of the advice of ADAS is excellent and that, as a result, it has won the confidence of agriculture? Will my right hon. Friend also bear in mind that the similar advice that one can get on a commercial basis from companies with a financial interest is not of the same quality or value to the average farmer?

Mr. Jopling

Many farmers prefer to get advice from ADAS, which they believe to be more likely to be independent than the advice that they can get from commercial sources.

Mr. John

Does the Minister agree that the chief advantage of ADAS is to the smaller farmer? Will not the scheme of charges that is now proposed inhibit the very people who benefit most from claiming such advice?

Mr. Jopling

That is not necessarily so. I ask the hon. Gentleman to look again at Professor Bell's report, in which he suggested that the information technology of the latter part of this century should be brought into the service. We shall be investing a good deal of effort in finding modern ways of bringing advice to farmers, particularly small farmers.

Mr. Kennedy

Will the Minister explain why the proposed cut in Scotland, which, as he knows, operates under a tripartite arrangement with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and the agricultural colleges, is almost twice that proposed for England and Wales? It is a cut of 41 per cent., at £3.5 million.

Mr. Jopling

The hon. Gentleman ought to do his homework. The planned expenditure of £40 million by my Department on advisory services in 1987–88 will be reduced by £16.6 million, and the expenditure of £8.2 million by the Scottish Department will be cut by £3.4 million, which is the same percentage in each case.