§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the amount charged for milk and dairy hygienic inspections for each year from 1979 to the present; how many inspections were carried out during the same time period; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanCharges for inspection and sampling visits to farms to enforce milk and dairies regulations were introduced on 30 March 1987. Levels of charge since then have been as follows:
30 March 1987 to 31 March 1989 From 1 April 1989 1. Routine dairy husbandry inspection visit (a) higher rate £90 £78 (b) lower rate £80 £60 First follow-up visit — — Second and subsequent follow-up visits (a) higher rate — £78 (b) lower rate — £60 2. Routine sampling visit £22 £26 Follow-up visit — — Numbers of routine and follow-up inspection and sampling visits to farms in England and Wales over the same period were as follows:
1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1. Dairy husbandry inspection visits 24,131 18,335 19,641 2. Sampling visits 8,379 7,442 6,899 My officials are currently consulting interested parties about proposals to increase charges.