HC Deb 15 May 1989 vol 153 cc60-1W
Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is proposing to take following the Bailey review of Agricultural Development Advisory Service laboratories in England and Wales.

Mr. Ryder

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 21 March 1989 at column515.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on the financial basis for his decision to reduce the number of Agricultural Development Advisory Service laboratories;

(2) which Agricultural Development Advisory Service laboratories and experimental farms in England and Wales he proposes to close in the current year and in each of the next three years.

Mr. Ryder

I cannot add anything to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 21 March 1989 at column515.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the impact of cuts in agricultural research and development in the work of the Agricultural Development Advisory Service farms at Trawsgoed and Pwllpeirian.

Mr. Ryder

In answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 21 March 1989 at column515 my right hon. Friend the Minister indicated that decisions on the future of ADAS research and development facilities depend on the industry's decisions on the work it is prepared to fund.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the regional analytical chemistry laboratories at Trawsgoed.

Mr. Ryder

My right hon. Friend the Minister announced on 21 March 1989 at column515 that the analytical chemistry laboratory at Trawsgoed would be closed in 1990–91 and that the Welsh Office is considering the possibility of alternative uses of the facility.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the employment consequences of closing the laboratories at Trawsgoed.

Mr. Ryder

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 11 May 1989 at columns482–83.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the revenue targets set for the Agricultural Development Advisory Service in Wales for the last two years and the extent to which those targets have been met.

Mr. Ryder

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 9 May 1989 at column372.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the research projects currently undertaken at Pwllpeirian experimental farm.

Mr. Ryder

Work on the following five projects is currently being undertaken at Pwllpeirian experimental husbandry farm as a contribution to a national programme of research and development:

  • Reproduction and rearing of beef cattle
  • Reproduction, rearing and the nutrition of the ewe and suckling lamb.
  • Sheep genetics.
  • Grass and forage conservation.
  • Grass and legumes on hills and uplands.

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