§ Mr. Trippierasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans for reducing the number of experimental centers belonging to his Ministry.
§ Mr. Peter Walker:As part of its task of keeping under review the services it provides to agriculture to ensure that resources are used effectively MAFF has reviewed the resources committed to research and development at its experimental centers. It has been decided that Great House experimental husbandry farm at Helmshore, Rossendale, Lancashire will be closed as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made.
The changing research and development requirements of the industry in Lancashire and of upland farmers generally will be met by the Ministry's other experimental husbandry farms. Three of these have dairy herds and that at Trawscoed will be expanded to take on dairying experimental work now done at Great House. Experimental programmes on upland sheep will be expanded at Trawscoed, Redesdale and Liscombe and work will continue with lowland sheep at Rosemaund and Drayton, and with the hill flock at Pwllpeiran. These changes will make better use of the Ministry's resources for research and development in these sectors.
The advisory needs of local farmers will continue to be met by ADAS officers stationed in the region.