Mr. J. Wellsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many qualified architects and quantity surveyors were employed in his Department on the last convenient date; and if he will publish in the Official Report a summary of their duties.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsAt 1st October, 1963, there were fourteen qualified architects employed in the Department. There were also thirteen building surveyors—associates or fellows of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors—who do the same work as the architects. There were no quantity surveyors.
Thirteen of the architects and all the building surveyors are in the Farm Buildings Advisory Group of the Agricultural Land Service. Their primary function is to give advice on the design, layout and construction of farm buildings but they also undertake normal architectural duties in connection with the construction of major buildings on the department's properties.
The remaining architect is in the Advisory Service and Infestation Control Division and is engaged largely in advising the department on the proofing of its food storage depots against insect and rodent infestations.