A SCIENTIFIC charity at the forefront of the fight against agricultural disease yesterday pledged to create 2000 jobs and made a bid to have the headquarters of the Food Standards Agency in Scotland located in Midlothian, writes Lynne Robertson.

Speaking at the opening of the Moredun Foundation's #30m international research centre at Pentlands Science Park, near Edinburgh, Mr James Stobo, chairman of the charity, which has attracted both private and public money, outlined plans to take on a further 2000 workers over the next five years.

He also claimed the facility offered an ideal base for the agency. ''No other scientific centre in the UK is as well equipped or as commercially prepared to become the home of the new agency.

''We have the capacity to provide Britain's consumers with the food safety advice, guidance, and assurances they desire.''

Emphasising the benefits of housing the facility at the science park near Penicuik, Mr Stobo said: ''Pentlands Science Park is at the centre of a cluster of biological competence which is unique in Europe. We have 1200 scientists - top scientists - working within a one-mile radius of where we are standing today.

''We have the potential to create a Food Standards Agency which will be seen as a model for Europe, if not the world.''

The clearly unexpected move put Lord Sewel, Scottish Agriculture Minister, on the spot. The Minister, who was a guest at the opening by the Princess Royal, joked during his address: ''I at least can thank Mr Stobo for the kind offer he made to write my manifesto for the current Scottish Parliament elections.''

Lord Sewel said later there had been no decision on the final location of the agency.