§ Mr. HarrisTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has reached a decision on the location of his Ministry's regional service centre for Devon and Cornwall.
§ Mr. GummerFollowing a further study, I have concluded that Devon and Cornwall will be served by two centres. The regional service centre, with 72 regional administrative posts, will be at Exeter; and the region's capital grant work will be carried out by a unit of 20 posts at Truro. The decision to keep a unit in Cornwall reflects my conclusion that the Ministry's responsibilities for agriculture and the general health of the rural economy are best served by maintaining an administrative presence in this isolated and remote part of the country.
This decision means that in total there will be 99 posts in Truro when account is taken of the ADAS state veterinary service and other MAFF posts which continue to be located there. The overall impact on jobs in the Truro office is minimal.