§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the total numbers employed by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service in each year since his Department assumed responsibility.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsSince responsibility for agriculture passed to me on 1 April 1978, the number of Agricultural Development and Advisory Service officers employed each year in Wales is as follows:
Year Number 1 April 1978 434½ 1 April 1979 453½ 1 April 1980 444½ 1 April 1981 414½ 1 April 1982 385½ 1 April 1983 377½ The Agricultural Development and Advisory Service is part of the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food and remains a unified service in England and Wales, but support and advice for my Department is provided on an agency basis.