The Plant Variety Rights Office and Seeds Division: Charter Document
Contents
- Introduction
- What we aim to deliver: Our standards
- How to contact us
- Who to contact
- Information
- What we ask of you
- What if you are dissatisfied with our service?
Introduction
The Plant Variety Rights Office and Seeds Division is a Defra office of about 35 people in Cambridge. We exist to administer the statutory schemes for the grant of UK Plant Breeders' Rights, the award of National Listing of plant varieties and can also act as a receiving point for community plant variety rights applications. We are also the Certifying Authority for agricultural and horticultural seeds in England and Wales. There are separate Certifying Authorities in Scotland and Northern Ireland whose details can be found here.
This customer service statement tells you the services we provide for you and the targets we have set. Inevitably, some problems will be impossible to resolve quickly, but if this is the case, we undertake to keep you informed of what is happening.
This statement also explains how you can help us to give you the best possible service.
We want to deliver an efficient, cost-effective service to the benefit of the plant breeding, seeds and farming industries.
What we aim to deliver: our standards
Information
We will provide clear and accurate information about each of the schemes that we run and ensure that you are kept up to date with developments, either by letter or through notices in the Plant Varieties and Seeds Gazette.
Named staff
We will identify ourselves by name in all correspondence, on the telephone and in face to face contact with you.
Courtesy
We will answer telephone calls promptly. If the first person you speak to cannot deal with your enquiry in full, you will be passed promptly to someone who can. If necessary we will call you back.
We will give a full reply to your letter (including faxes and E-mails) letter (including faxes and E-mails) within working 15 days of receiving it. If this is impossible, we will let you know why.
Appointments
We will keep all pre-arranged pre-arranged appointments within 10 minutes - both at our office and at your business - of the time agreed. Casual callers with no pre-arranged appointment will be seen, where feasible, within 10 minutes. Casual callers with no pre-arranged appointment will be seen, where feasible, within 10 -15 minutes. If, exceptionally, we are forced to cancel or expect to be very late, we will arrange a new appointment to suit you.
Privacy
If you visit us, you will have the option of discussing your business in a private room - please give us warning so we can make sure we have somewhere ready for you.
Opening hours
The office is staffed and open for business between the hours of 9.00am and 5.00pm on Mondays to Thursdays and between 9.00am and 4.30pm on Fridays, except for Bank Holidays when the office will be closed. Any other closures will be notified in the Plant Varieties and Seeds Gazette. Our telephone switchboard is manned 15 minutes before and after these times. During times when the office is closed, a message can be left on the switchboard answerphone and someone will call you back when the office is open. Alternatively, you can send us a message by fax. Our numbers are shown here.
The office has access and facilities for the disabled.
Consultation
We will ask our customers what they think of our service and how we might improve it.
If you have any complaint about any service carried out by this office it will be referred to the Controller of Plant Variety Rights Office and Head of Seeds Division.
How to contact us
Address:
Plant Variety Rights Office and Seeds Division
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
White House Lane
Huntingdon Road
Cambridge CB3 OLF
Telephone: 01223 277151 (ask operator for name or
extension) or 01223 34 plus extension (direct dial)
Fax: 01223 342386
E-Mail: enquiries.pvro@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Information can also be found on our website page:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/pvs/pvsd.htm
Who to contact
If you wish to contact one of our agents who carry out technical work for us, we will tell you whom it is appropriate to contact and how to do so.
Applicants who wish to apply for seed certification in Scotland or Northern Ireland should contact the appropriate Certifying Authority listed below for further information:
| Scotland | |
|---|---|
| Scottish Agricultural Science Agency (SASA) East Craigs Edinburgh EH12 8NJ Tel: 0131 244 8838 Fax: 0131 244 894 | Scottish Executive for Rural Affairs Dept. (SERAD) Pentland House 47 Robb's Loan Edinburgh EH14 1TW Tel: 0131 556 8400 Fax: 0131 244 6001 |
| Northern Ireland | Wales |
|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) Upper Newtownwards Road Belfast BT4 3SB Tel: 028 9052 4876 Fax: 028 9052 4266 | The National Assembly for Wales Agriculture Dept. (NAWAD) Cathays Park Cardiff CF1 3NQ Tel: 029 2082 5111 Fax: 029 2082 3562 |
Information
Guidance Booklets
The following booklets about the schemes which we run are available free of charge from this address:
Plant Breeders Rights Guide to the Plant Varieties Act
1997.Plant Breeders' Rights Handbook.*
Notes for Guidance - completion of application forms for Plant
Breeders' Rights.
Information to Applicants: Community Plant Variety Rights.
Notes for Guidance - applying for a compulsory licence for
Plant Breeders' Rights.*
List of all the species covered by Plant Breeders' Rights Schemes.
National Listing
Guide to the National List of Plant Varieties.*
Notes for Guidance - completion of application forms for the
National List.
Seed Certification*
Guide to Seed Certification in England and Wales.
Notes for Guidance - completion of United Kingdom Seed Certification
forms.
Instructions to Licensed Seed Samplers in England and Wales.
Instructions to Crop Inspectors in England and Wales.
Guidance Notes for Growers of Seed Crops in England and Wales.
Brief Guide to Seed Certification.
General
Guide to the arrangements in North Essex for the prevention of
injurious cross pollination of seed crops of onion, beet and brassica.
Mind Your Peas - measures to avoid Pea Bacterial Blight.
Booklets on Statistics
The following statistical booklets are available free of charge from this address.
United Kingdom Seed Certification Schemes: Statistical Information
- published each spring.
Seed Traders' Annual Return Summary (showing United Kingdom
stocks of seeds in the hands of seeds firms on 30 June and disposals
in the year to 30 June) - published each September.
* Booklets marked with an asterisk are also available on our website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/pvs/pvsd.htm
Subscription publication
The Plant Varieties and Seeds Gazette, published monthly, includes official notices and details of applications for Plant Breeders' Rights and National Listing. Special supplements are also issued. Further information is available from this address.
What we ask of you
General
We do our best to keep forms as simple as the complex rules of the schemes allow. But we have to set out these rules fully otherwise we might be misleading you. We have produced some Notes for Guidance to help you complete Plant Breeders' Rights, National List and Seed Certification forms, see Information. If you have any problems, we will help you sort them out. It is your responsibility to submit a valid application on time. If you are in doubt, you may wish to seek professional advice.
Please fill in forms accurately, fully and legibly and attach any necessary supporting papers. Forms will normally be returned to you if they are not completed properly and we, or our technical agents, will explain what is wrong. This may cause delay in dealing with your application.
Submission of seeds or plant material
Where it is necessary for you to submit seeds or other plant material, please ensure you send the correct quantity, properly packed using the labels supplied. You will be given the address to which the material must be sent.
Please apply in good time. There are various closing dates each year after which applications cannot be considered. These closing dates sometimes differ from year to year. Details of the closing dates for Plant Breeders' Rights and the National List are given in the Plant Varieties and Seeds Gazette. Closing dates for seed certification are given in the Notes for Guidance on the completion of United Kingdom Seed Certification forms. You can also write, telephone or fax us to ask for the dates.
When sending us payment, please do so on time. Cheques should be made payable to 'Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' or 'Defra' and, for security, we urge you to cross all cheques with the words "NOT TRANSFERABLE". If you wish to pay by BACS, please contact Mrs Janet Lee (tel: 01223 342377).
What if you are dissatisfied with our service?
If you have a complaint about our service, you can tell us by letter, telephone or in person. Personal or telephone callers should make their complaint to the person dealing with their case. If this person cannot deal with your complaint to your satisfaction, he or she will give you the name of a more senior person to speak to.
If you are still dissatisfied, you may write to the Controller of Plant Variety Rights and Head of Seeds Division at this address. Your complaint will be fully investigated and you will receive a reply within 15 days.
If you still feel that your complaint has not been fully resolved, you can write to our adjudicator, Trevor Cook, whose address is:
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Area 7D
Nobel House
17 Smith Square,
London SW1P 3JR
Email: service-standards.adjudicator@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Trevor Cook plays no part in the management or policy of any Defra Inspectorate thus ensuring his impartiality. He will investigate your complaint and report back to you within 15 working days. If this is not possible he will write to you explaining why and letting you know when you can expect to receive a response.
If you are not satisfied with the Adjudicator's decision you may ask your Member of Parliament to take up your complaint with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at Defra, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW10 3JR.
You can also write to your, or any, Member of Parliament, and ask for your complaint to be passed to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (the Parliamentary Ombudsman) who is entirely independent of Government. The Parliamentary Ombudsman is M Buckley Esq., Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP. Telephone 020 7217 3000.
Page last modified: 3 July 2007