HC Deb 14 February 1995 vol 254 cc583-5W
Mr. Tyler

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest available figures for the number of sheep farmers authorised under the certification scheme to purchase organophosphorous dip products in Wales, Scotland and each of his Department's regions in England; and what, in each case, was the total estimated number of sheep farmers.

Mrs. Browning

The certification scheme is run by the National Proficiency Tests Council. There are 90,000 registered sheep farmers in the United Kingdom. The number of farmers who have applied for certification in each NPTC region by 10 February 1995 is set out in the following table. The information is not available by MAFF regions.

By 10 February, 11,151 sheep farmers had enrolled for certification. A total of 4,746 certificates had also been issued by that date. None of this data are available on a corresponding regional basis.

The decision on whether or not to apply for certification is a matter for the individual sheep farmer, bearing in mind their judgment on the possible need to purchase OP sheep dips for the treatment of sheep in the coming year.

Applications for sheep dipping certificates received by 10 February 1995
Counties Numbers registered
Northumberland 1,448
Durham
Tyne and Wear
Cumbria
Lancashire
Cheshire
Merseyside
Great Manchester
Yorkshire 596
Cleveland 596
Humberside 190
Lincolnshire 190
Derbyshire 407
Leicestershire
Northamptonshire
Nottinghamshire
Shropshire 268
Staffordshire 268
Hereford and Worcester 434
Gloucester and North Avon
Warwickshire
West Midlands
Cambridgeshire 122
Norfolk
Suffolk
Essex 62
Hertfordshire
London (North of Thames)
Bedfordshire 155
Berkshire
Buckinghamshire
Oxfordshire
Kent 218
Sussex—East
London (South of Thames)
Surrey 73
Sussex—West 73
Hampshire 100
Isle of Wight 100
Dorset 614
Somerset
South Avon
Devon
Cornwall
Wiltshire
Clwyd 756
Gwynedd 756
Powys 551
Dyfed 602
Glamorgan 213
Gwent 213
Applications for sheep dipping certificates received by 10 February 1995
Counties Numbers registered
Scotland 1,230
Northern Ireland 300
ATB Landbase 2,812
Total as known 11,151