asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give the total number of staff employed annually by the Soil Survey from 1979; and if he will give the projection for the next two years.

The information requested is as follows:

	Number
1979	80
1980	79
1981	78
1982	78
1983	78
1984	78
1985	75
1986	40·5
1987	40

Subject to the negotiation of satisfactory terms, the Agricultural and Food Research Council and Cranfield Institute of Technology have agreed that the Soil Survey and Land Resource Centre should be transferred to Cranfield during 1987. It will be for Cranfield to determine staffing levels beyond 1987.