HC Deb 15 July 1999 vol 335 cc331-2W
Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the(a) location, (b) purpose, (c) number of staff accommodated and their wage costs and (d) running costs of the buildings owned, rented and occupied by his Department or its agencies in Scotland. [90860]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 14 July 1999]: The Department directly employs veterinary and technical staff of the State Veterinary Service (SVS) which are stationed in Scotland at the following locations:

  • Pentland House, Edinburgh
  • Greyfield House, Edinburgh
  • Inverness
  • Thurso
  • Inverurie
  • Kirkwall
  • Elgin
  • Perth
  • Forfar
  • Oban
  • Ayr
  • Dumfries
  • Stranraer
  • Galashiels
  • Hamilton.

The SVS operates throughout Great Britain and implements the animal health, animal welfare and public protection policies of the Department, the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department (SERAD) and the National Assembly for Wales. The estimated salary cost of the 78.5 veterinary and technical staff stationed in Scotland is £3.06 million. All accommodation costs for these staff and their administrative support costs are met by SERAD.

The Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), operates a Regional Office from Saughton House in Edinburgh. This Office co-ordinates the daily operations of meat inspectors and Official Veterinary Surgeons who work within licensed fresh meat premises throughout the MHS Scotland Region. Nine staff work directly from the Office, whose wage costs for this financial year are estimated at £182,000. The building is not owned by the MHS but it will pay an estimated £10,000 towards it s running costs this financial year.

The Department and its agencies also occupies three other sites in Scotland. The first is the Veterinary Laboratories Agency Lasswade, where a building is rented on the Pentland Science Park on the outskirts of Edinburgh. It carries out research and diagnostic services of farmed livestock and wildlife. There are 32 staff on the site and wage costs for this financial year are estimated at £655,000. The annual rent is £73,000. For this financial year fuel and utilities are estimated at £11,000, facilities management will be £35,000 and other running costs such as training, consumables and travel are budgeted at £157,000. The contribution in lieu of rates has still to be assessed.

The Department owns a redundant laboratory and an adjacent storage building at Tony in Aberdeen. These are in the process of being sold for redevelopment. No staff are employed on the site. This year the Department will pay a capital charge of £60,000 for the property, a contribution in lieu of rates of £64,000 and maintenance and security costs of £10,000.

The Department also owns two redundant stores near Perth, known as Almondbank 4 and 5. These are in the process of being sold. No staff are employed on the site. Over the next year we have budgeted to pay £54,000 in capital charges and £5,000 for maintenance and security. A contribution in lieu of rates is not payable on empty storage buildings.