§ Sir Trevor SkeetTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the cuts in scientific staff engaged by Government-funded Agriculture and Food Research Council research establishments since 1984; and whether further redundancies are contemplated detailing numbers and establishments.
Mr. JacksonI have been asked to reply.
Since April 1984 the number of permanent scientific staff posts in the AFRC has been reduced by 1,081.
Further losses may be required as a consequence of reductions in research and development expenditure by the Agricultural Departments. It is not yet possible to quantify these losses or to say where they might fall.
§ Sir Trevor SkeetTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the location and staff numbers in Agriculture and Food Research Council establishments and an outline of the work undertaken at each.
Mr. JacksonI have been asked to reply.
The current staff complements of the eight institutes of the AFRC at 1 April 1988 are as follows:
Number Institute of Arable Crops Research 748 Institute for Animal Health 584 Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Research 499 Institute of Engineering Research 329 Institute of Food Research 730 Institute of Grassland and Animal Production Research 678 Institute of Horticultural Research 618 Institute of Plant Science Research 401 Total 4,587 Staffing figures for individual sites are not available.
Details of the locations of the sites and of the research work undertaken at the institutes are set out in the 346W AFRC's corporate plan 1988–93 and annual report 1986–87. Copies of both publications are available in the Library.
§ Sir Trevor SkeetTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will name the Government-funded research establishments formerly funded by the Agriculture and Food Research Council that have been transferred to the private sector.
Mr. JacksonI have been asked to reply.
Part of the council's plant breeding institute has been transferred to the private sector.