§ Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has made any subsequent revision of his estimate of the cost of the removal of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station from Pentlandfield and its amalgamation with the Scottish Horticultural Research Institute at Mylnefield, Dundee, since his reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Cook) on 18 December 1979; and if his estimate includes a provision for transfer grants or redundancy payments for the 80 non-mobile staff at Pentlandfield.
§ Mr. YoungerNo. The Directors of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station and the Scottish Horticultural Research Institute are revising estimates of cost of amalgamation to take account of present day costs. These will then be considered by the new governing body prior to their submission to me. Estimates of costs of transfer grants or of any redundancy payments will depend on the governing body's proposals for phasing the amalgamation.
§ Mr. Cookasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will update the figures in his answer of 18 December 1979 to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central on the costs and savings of the transfer of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station, in the light of the revised estimates provided by its directors in their document circulated to staff.
§ Mr. YoungerNo. The directors of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station and the Scottish Horticultural Research Institute are revising estimates of cost of amalgamation to take account of present day costs. These will then be considered by the new governing body prior to their submission to me.