§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what functions his county agricultural executive committees now perform.
§ Mr. HoyThe primary function of county agricultural executive committees, which were established under the Agriculture Act, 1947, is to assist my right hon. Friend in promoting the development of agriculture. They perform this function by
advising on and promoting modern techniques of farming;advising on local agricultural problems such as drainage and land use;advising on difficult grant and subsidy cases and hearing representations against adverse decisions;advising on local aspects of the development and application of policy.In addition, the committees are responsible for certain statutory and executive functions. These include:
registration of milk producers;40W
Number of man-days on Committee functions Region Agricultural Executive Committee Number of members serving during 1968 Members Officials EASTERN Bedford 11 42 49 Huntingdon and Peterborough 12 36 53 Lincoln (Holland) 11 36 66 Essex 12 120 187 Hertford 12 115 192 Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely 12 39 59 Norfolk 12 68 93 Suffolk (East and West) 12 85 168 EAST MIDLAND Lincoln (Kesteven) 11 18 37 Lincoln (Lindsey) 12 34 68 Leicester 12 28 31 Northampton 12 28 31 Rutland 12 10 13 Derby 12 25 43 Nottingham 12 24 38 NORTHERN Northumberland 12 73 95 Cumberland 12 36 59 Westmorland 12 47 63 Durham 12 25 43 Yorkshire (North Riding) 11 47 55 control of land and bird pests;
issue of licences for heather and grass burning during prohibited periods;
enforcement of Control of Rams Regulations 1952;
securing the destruction of injurious weeds on agricultural land;
approval of short-term lettings of agricultural land;
issue of consents for the letting of cottages grant-aided under the Hill Farming and Livestock Rearing Acts;
advising on applications to employ foreign workers.
§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the cost of running the county agriculture executive committees.
§ Mr. HoyThe cost of running county agricultural executive committees during the year ended 31st December, 1968, is estimated at £65,000.
§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the county agricultural executive committees together with the number of members serving on each, and the approximate number of man-days put in by both members and officials in carrying out their functions during the last year.
§ Mr. HoyThe following table gives the information requested for the year ended 31st December, 1968.
41W
Number of man-days on Committee functions Region Agricultural Executive Committee Number of members serving during 1968 Members Officials SOUTH EASTERN Hampshire 11 20 69 Isle of Wight 12 20 59 Berkshire 12 25 86 Buckingham 12 43 98 Oxford 10 51 83 Kent 12 20 53 Surrey 12 17 30 Sussex (East) 12 26 40 Sussex (West) 12 32 47 SOUTH WESTERN Devon 12 80 162 Gloucester 12 20 30 Wiltshire 12 19 30 Dorset 12 48 77 Somerset 12 92 101 Cornwall 12 67 64 Isles of Scilly 12 22 28 WEST MIDLAND Cheshire 12 42 135 Stafford 11 44 124 Shropshire 12 37 60 Hereford 12 34 68 Warwick 12 52 81 Worcester 12 43 81 YORKSHIRE AND LANCASHIRE Yorkshire (East Riding) 12 40 120 Yorkshire (West Riding) 12 55 124 Lancashire 12 90 111 WALES Anglesey 12 10 16 Caernarvon 12 20 19 Merioneth 12 20 20 Glamorgan 12 80 104 Monmouth 12 36 144 Carmarthen 12 23 20 Cardigan 12 25 26 Pembroke 12 9 10 Brecon 12 22 47 Montgomery 10 18 44 Radnor 11 15 39 Denbigh 12 30 92 Flint 12 30 62 TOTAL 685 2,313 4,047