§ 9 and 10. Colonel Stoddart-Scottasked the Minister of Agriculture (1) if he is aware that officers of the West Riding Agricultural Executive Committee have been inspecting farm premises without giving prior information to the 116W farmer, have been making expensive recommendations with regard to the alteration of farm premises beyond the requirements laid down in Statutory Instrument No. 1588, 1949, and in correspondence have linked the carrying out of these unnecessary alterations with the granting of tuberculin-tested licences; and whether he will make a statement;
(2) the number of farms inspected in 1954 in the West Riding of Yorkshire by the district milk production officers; in how many cases they made recommendations which were not covered by Statutory Instrument No. 1588, 1949; in how many cases the county agricultural officer linked the carrying out of such alterations with the issuing of a tuberculin-tested licence; and if he will give an estimate of the unnecessary expense to which farmers in the West Riding have been put by these officials.
§ Mr. NugentBetween 4,500 and 5,000 dairy farms in the county were visited in 1954 by milk production officers. As these officers give general advice on milk production methods as well as on the statutory requirements of the milk regulations, they may occasionally recommend as desirable improvements beyond the bare minimum needed to satisfy the Regulations. Information is not readily available on the number of these cases but I have no reason to believe that farmers in the West Riding have been put to unnecessary expense on such improvements or that these have been required as a condition of the grant of a tuberculin-tested licence.
To avoid the possibility of confusion, my right hon. Friend has given instructions (a copy of which has already been sent to my hon. and gallant Friend) that a clear distinction should be drawn in advisory letters between what is recommended as desirable and what is necessary to comply with the Regulations. Instructions have also been issued that prior notice of visits to dairy farms to inspect the premises should always be given.