§ Mr. Peter Fraserasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the annual cost of the agricultural machinery return; and what use is made of the information collected.
§ Mr. YoungerThe annual cost of the agricultural machinery census, which is conducted only every fifth year, is £3,000.
The information is used by my Department to calculate farmers' depreciation and repair costs for the annual review of agriculture. Together, these costs now constitute a major charge against farmers' 671W receipts. The results are also used for development, advisory and research work by such bodies as the agricultural colleges, the research institutes, the Health and Safety Executive and the Agricultural Training Board and by manufacturers and distributors of agricultural plant and machinery.