§ Mr. Steelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement concerning the main aspects of the administration of the veterinary services in Scotland.
§ Mr. YoungerApart from services provided by private veterinary practitioners, the veterinary services in Scotland have two elements, the veterinary investigation service and the state veterinary service. The veterinary investigation service comprises part of the advisory service provided by the Scottish agricultural colleges. Overall responsibility for the state veterinary service rests on a Great Britain basis with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, but the service also advises me on those animal health matters for which I have statutory responsibility.
§ Mr. Steelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to carry out a review of (a) the veterinary investigation services in Scotland and (b) the agricultural advisory services in Scotland.
§ Mr. YoungerThe financing and management of the advisory services (including the veterinary investigation service) provided by the three Scottish agricultural colleges are currently being reviewed in the light of the Government's decision announced in the public expenditure White Paper published in January 1985 to reduce the level of public funding of the advisory services in 1987–88, and any further review would not be appropriate at this stage.