HC Deb 04 June 1991 vol 192 c201W
Mr. Maclennan

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which agricultural advice services provided by the Scottish agricultural college are wholly publicly funded.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Services which are undertaken for the public good: that is, the benefits accrue to the whole community and not only to the individual. They include the following.

  1. (a) General advice on what is needed to conform with statutory requirements (Such as those on pesticides, health and safety at work or animal welfare).
  2. (b) All general advice on animal welfare.
  3. (c) Initial general advice on conservation and diversification.
  4. (d) General education and training for the rural community.
  5. (e) Veterinary investigation service tests related to notifiable diseases.
  6. (f) Monitoring services on patterns of animal health, welfare and infertility.

Mr. Maclennan

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria he applies, and by what authority, in determining which advisory work of the Scottish agricultural college shall be partly publicly funded.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Authority for the provision of agricultural advice is derived from section 4(4) of the Small Landholders (Scotland) Act 1911. Advice which is partly publicly funded is advice the benefits of which accrue partly to the community and partly to the individual user. It includes the followingSpecified services which would otherwise be fully chargeable but which are supplied to crofters at a reduced rate because of the effect of low income and relatively poor resources in the crofting area. Services which are charged at a standard price, which does not cover the cost of delivering them in remote or otherwise disadvantaged areas. Work associated with animal and crop disease surveillance.

Mr. Maclennan

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the advisory work of the Scottish agricultural college which is partly publicly funded is chargeable to the client.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

In the year 1989–90, charges for partly publicly funded advice accounted for some 25 per cent. of total costs.