Seed Potatoes (Hansard, 14 May 1991)

§ Mr. Moss
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the two recent successful prosecutions under the Seed Potatoes Regulations 1984 and 1988 and 1989.

§ Mr. Michael Forsyth
In December 1988 at Forfar sheriff court a firm of Scottish seed potato merchants admitted to a breach of regulation 6(1) of the Seed Potatoes Regulations 1984 after marketing seed potatoes which were neither basic nor certified seed potatoes. The firm was fined £1,000. In July 1989 at Perth sheriff court a Scottish seed potato producer was similarly prosecuted. The court found the firm guilty, but was unable to impose a penalty because of a legal technicality, the notice of penalty not having been served on the accused.

§ Mr. Moss
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide figures of the production of seed potatoes in Scotland for(a) the estimated crop tonnage, (b) the actual crop tonnage, (c) the crop average under the seed potato classification and labelling schemes and (d) the number of labels printed and issued for each year over the past 10 years.

§ Mr. Michael Forsyth
The crop average under the seed potato classification and labelling schemes in each of the last 10 years is 25 to 30 tonnes per hectare.
Producers are required to apply for labels against the volume of seed potatoes they expect to sell. The table sets out the total annual tonnage and the corresponding total number of labels printed and issued for individual consignments within the total tonnage.

Expenditure within the Secretary of Slate's responsibility¹

£ million

1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84

Actual 3,712 4,552 5,383 5,839 6,509 6,845

In 1989–90 prices² 8,691 9,134 9,128 9,029 9,398 9,446

As percentage of Scottish GDP³ 29.12 31.29 32.31 31.92 32.56 31.27

£ million

1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91

Actual 6,994 7,167 7,513 7,805 8,458 8,919 9,725

In 1989–90 prices² 9,185 8,928 9,045 8,921 8,997 8,919 9,026

As percentage of Scottish GDP³ 30.68 28.71 27.51 26.52 25.61 24.96 n.a.

¹ No direct comparison can he made with the years from 1978–79 to 1983–84 because of the changes in the definition of the Planning Total announced in Cm. 441. An estimate of expenditure for 1978–79 on the new planning total basis was given in the answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Maxton) on 30 October 1990. In addition, changes in my responsibility are not necessarily reflected in the figures.

142W

000 tonnes Number of labels

1981 375 —

1982 375 —

1983 329 —

1984 392 —

1985 344 —

1986 333 6,674,055

1987 291 4,819,952

1988 274 4,507,481

1989 287 4,675,456

1990 ¹227 ²3,191,642

¹ Provisional.

² To date.

Records in respect of labels for the period 1981–85 are no longer available. Figures relating to the estimated and actual crop tonnages are not held centrally.

Expenditure within the Secretary of Slate's responsibility¹
£ million
		1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84
	Actual	3,712	4,552	5,383	5,839	6,509	6,845
	In 1989–90 prices²	8,691	9,134	9,128	9,029	9,398	9,446
	As percentage of Scottish GDP³	29.12	31.29	32.31	31.92	32.56	31.27

£ million
		1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91
	Actual	6,994	7,167	7,513	7,805	8,458	8,919	9,725
	In 1989–90 prices²	9,185	8,928	9,045	8,921	8,997	8,919	9,026
	As percentage of Scottish GDP³	30.68	28.71	27.51	26.52	25.61	24.96	n.a.
¹ No direct comparison can he made with the years from 1978–79 to 1983–84 because of the changes in the definition of the Planning Total announced in Cm. 441. An estimate of expenditure for 1978–79 on the new planning total basis was given in the answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Maxton) on 30 October 1990. In addition, changes in my responsibility are not necessarily reflected in the figures.

	000 tonnes	Number of labels
1981	375	—
1982	375	—
1983	329	—
1984	392	—
1985	344	—
1986	333	6,674,055
1987	291	4,819,952
1988	274	4,507,481
1989	287	4,675,456
1990	¹227	²3,191,642
¹ Provisional.
² To date.