HC Deb 25 October 1984 vol 65 cc796-7
5. Mr. Proctor

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with present procedures governing the burning of straw and stubble; and if he will make a statement.

17. Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the new guidelines on straw burning have operated satisfactorily.

Mr. Jopling

The new stricter model byelaws have been adopted by most district councils in the cereal growing areas, and the National Farmers Union has issued a revised code of practice. Together they have brought about a considerable improvement in straw and stubble burning practices this year. The number of incidents has been much reduced. I shall be studying reports on the season as a whole, and considering whether any further action is necessary.

Mr. Proctor

The vast majority of farmers take a responsible attitude to straw burning, but will my right hon. Friend accept that some problems continue to occur? Will his Ministry continue to evaluate new machinery and techniques for the incorporation of straw and to spread that practice throughout the industry?

Mr. Jopling

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for saying that the majority of farmers are responsible people.

I am sure that that is true and that the number of farmers who have been irresponsible has never been less in recent years in regard to straw burning. The whole arrangement still needs careful attention. I am conscious of the difficulties that still sometimes occur, perhaps in windy conditions, with smoke and smut. I shall look into those difficulties.

Mr. Bennett

How many prosecutions have there been under the byelaws, and what sort of penalties have been imposed as a result of the introduction of those byelaws? Does the Minister accept that neither the byelaws nor the code of practice has made any difference? The majority of farmers were already carrying out good practice, and the irresponsible ones do not appear to have taken any notice of either the code of practice or the byelaws. They have continued to cause a nuisance to their neighbours, to put lives at risk on motorways, and to put a large number of wild animals at risk when the burning gets out of control and hedgerows and other areas are damaged.

Mr. Jopling

I do not agree with the hon. Gentleman. I think that there has been a great deal less trouble this year than last year. That is reflected in the number of complaints received by my Ministry, which is about a quarter of the number received last year.

I have no information about the number of prosecutions. That is not information that we would normally collect. However, like the hon. Gentleman, I have recently seen a newspaper report about prosecutions being brought. If local authorities wish to prosecute irresponsible farmers, I believe that that is the right thing to do.

Sir Anthony Grant

I wholly condemn the infernal nuisance caused by irresponsible straw burning, but will my right hon. Friend pay tribute to the vast majority of farmers—especially in Cambridgeshire—who have not only scrupulously observed the code, but are pressing the authorities to prosecute the irresponsible and reckless minority?

Mr. Jopling

I endorse what my hon. Friend says. I am sure that what he has said about Cambridgeshire could be said of many other counties too. I know that farmers have tried hard to stick to the code of practice and the byelaws, and that many of them have suffered considerable inconvenience because, in order to avoid causing a public nuisance, they have not burnt straw at weekends, even though that might have been the best time to do so.

Mr. Home Robertson

I have burnt some straw this year, in accordance with the code of practice, but I assure the Minister that most farmers would far rather use this material for a productive purpose. Will the Minister answer the supplementary question of his hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. Proctor), and tell us more about what his Department is doing to assist with research into alternative uses for straw?

Mr. Jopling

As one who—having burnt straw for many years—did not burn any at all this year, I assure the hon. Gentleman that my Department spends nearly £2 million a year on research units and development of these matters. Projects which we are financing include the incorporation of chopped straw into the soil, treatment of the straw to improve its value for animal feed, and its use as a fuel. We urge farmers to burn only when there are no alternative uses for the straw.