§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he took before announcing his decision on 18 January to reduce his Department's funding of the Soil Survey of England and Wales to satisfy himself that the survey would have access to adequate funds from other sources to enable it to continue.
§ Mr. JoplingOur consideration of the work of the Soil Survey indicated that a wide range of organisations in both the public and private sectors make use of the information and expertise which it provides. We believe this offers scope for the survey to develop these links and to operate more commercially in the future.
§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the main achievements so far of the Soil Survey of England and Wales.
§ Mr. JoplingThe work of the survey has provided a scientific basis for the classification of soils and an inventory of information which provides a valuable database. It has recently completed soil maps at a scale of 1 : 250,000 covering England and Wales. It has also undertaken a range of other mapping work and integrated soil, crop and climate studies.
§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he undertook before his announcement to the House on 18 January, Official Report, column 248, concerning the proposed reduction in funding for the Soil Survey of England and Wales.
§ Mr. JoplingIn considering the future funding of the Soil Survey there were consultations with the Agricultural and Food Research Council and the Priorities Board for Research and Development in Agriculture and Food. My right hon. and noble Friend, the Minister of State, also met members of the Institution of Professional Civil Servants representing the staff of the Soil Survey.
§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to other EEC countries which have national soil surveys in progress or completed.
§ Mr. JoplingI understand that a soil survey map is now in preparation for the whole of the European Community at a scale of 1 : 1 million and that this is likely to be published shortly. In addition individual member states prepare national maps at varying scales.
§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he made any assessment of the possible implications for redundancies before he took his 312W decision to reduce the level of his Department's funding of the Soil Survey of England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. JoplingThe decision to maintain funding at the planned level in 1985–86 and to give notice of the level of commissioned work in 1986–87 was intended to give the Soil Survey and the Agricultural and Food Research Council an opportunity to develop alternative sources of funding and to minimise the implications of the change for the staff involved.