§ Mr. Geraint HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many farmers in Wales have received fee-paying service from the Agricultural Development Advisory Service during the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how many farmers in Wales have applied during the last 12 months for the fee paying service given by the Agricultural Development Advisory Service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerIt is no) possible to distinguish between those who apply for, and those who receive, chargeable non-statutory advice: ADAS would seldom be unable to provide a service sought by a potential customer. In the first 11 months of the scheme, chargeable advice was provided to 4,731 customers.
§ Mr. Geraint HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much revenue has been received by the Agricultural Development Advisory Service for fee-paying service to farmers in Wales during the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerIn the 11 months to 29 February 1988, receipts for advisory services totalled £502,258.
§ Mr. Geraint HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much of the Agricultural Development Advisory Service staff in Wales are fluent Welsh speakers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe number of fluent Welsh speakers employed by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service in Wales is 133.
§ Mr. Geraint HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed by the Agricultural Development Advisory Service in Wales; what were the corresponding figures for the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe number of people currently employed by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service in Wales is 354.
The information for 1 April (the nearest available date) in earlier years is as follows:
280W
Number 1983 3771/2 1984 366 1985 352 1986 3471/2 1987 356 Since ADAS reorganised in 1987 the figures include ADAS staff in Wales employed on the experimental husbandry farm and as national (United Kingdom) specialists. These officers were not included in the staffing figures to 1986 and the totals for 1983 to 1986 would need to be increased by about 40 to reflect the change in 1987.
§ Mr. Geraint HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to review the service given by members of the Agricultural Development Advisory Service in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerServices provided by ADAS are kept under continued review to ensure that the best possible advice is always available.