§ Lord Moranasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many extra staff have been taken on in government departments and offices in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively to deal with the new system of agricultural subsidies required by CAP reform.
The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe)The Agriculture Departments in the United Kingdom and
44WAthe Intervention Board Executive Agency all have administrative responsibilities for schemes under the Common Agricultural Policy. It is not possible to provide figures for the additional staff actually taken on to deal with the new system of subsidies required by CAP reform except at disproportionate cost, as such statistics are not collected. In many cases existing staff have been redeployed from other work, being replaced in their normal jobs by casuals. The situation is changing as experience of the work develops.
The provision in 1993/94 for extra posts to deal with work arising out of CAP reform, including the agri-environmental regulations, is as follows:
1993/94 1994/95 MAFF 700 590 Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland 84 120 Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department 71 74 Welsh Office Agriculture Department 118 118 Intervention Board Executive Agency –29 –84 TOTAL (net of IBEA savings) 944 818 These figures represent estimates of staffing requirements and should eventually decline.