§ Mr. Peter RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 3 February,Official Report, column 871W on potato ring rot, what vehicles purchased from modulation money for these purposes are now used. [166833]
§ Mr. PearsonFollowing the recent finding of potato ring rot in Wales, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development increased its existing stringent preventive measures to ensure that there was no plant health risk to the Northern Ireland potato industry. The majority of the costs associated with these additional measures related to DARD staff time, though small capital expenditure was incurred in 2003 on diagnostic work related to potato ring rot. No vehicles were purchased for the purposes of potato ring rot control.