§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish a table showing the number of staff in post in the Agricultural Advisory and Development Service (ADAS) in April this year and at the same date in the four previous years; and what their estimate is of the number of staff that will be in post in April 1982; and whether they will show for each of those years the number of ADAS staff who were or will be involved in giving face-to-face advice to farmers.
The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Ferrers)The available figures, including figures for the Ministry as a whole, are set out below. While my right honourable friend is considering proposals for further reductions in Ministry staff, in line with the Government's decision to reduce the size of the Civil Service, his decisions on where the reductions will fall will not be made until discussions with the departmental trade union side have taken place. It is therefore not possible to say at this stage how many ADAS staff are expected to be in post at 1st April 1982.
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD Number of Staff in Post in: (a) Ministry (b) ADAS (c) Posts giving face-to-face advice to farmers* 1.4.77 15,036 5,418 Not available 1.4.78 14,114 5,447 " " 1.4.79 13,956 5,463 " " 1.4.80 13,758 5,449 " " 1.4.81 12,980 5,300 2,390 * Includes advisers from each of the main services of ADAS. Figures for earlier years are not readily available but would account for a similar proportion of ADAS. House adjourned at thirteen minutes past eleven o'clock.