§ Mr. Colvinasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the recent review which examined his Department's regional organisation.
§ Mr. JoplingFollowing a review last year of the management and structure of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, a wider review has been carried out of my Department's regional organisation as a whole. It is more than five years since the last such review and in that time there have been important developments in the scope of the Department's work and the way in which it is run. The latest review has taken these into account.
I am now considering a report from the review team. Changes recommended include a reduction in the number of regional offices from five to four and in divisional offices from 19 to 15. The offices affected would be changed in status but they would be retained as bases for the advisory service. Changes in management structure are also recommended.
As regards the system of regions and divisions, my preliminary view is that there is a case for moving in the direction recommended in the report. I am now beginning consultation on that basis, and I am inviting all concerned to submit comments on the report's proposals by 31 March 1987. A copy of the report is being placed in the Library of the House.
My intention is that any changes resulting from this review should be introduced not later than 1 April 1988 with the aim of ensuring that my Department should be fully adapted to meet the challenge of servicing the agricultural industry and others with an interest in the countryside, and should do so as efficiently as possible.