§ LORD SORENSENMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what investigations have been made into the effect of herbicides on hedge-rows.]
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, in-vestigations have been carried out by the Nature Conservancy's Monks Wood Experimental Station, Huntingdon, into the effects on flora and fauna of drift of herbicides on to hedgerows when crops are sprayed, and the use of herbicides to kill herbaceous vegetation at the base of hedgerows. Results show that damage by drift is insignificant but that treatment of hedge bottoms can have harmful effects on species which live or hibernate in hedges, and on ground beetles.
§ LORD SORENSENMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for that reply, may I ask whether measures have been taken to avoid damaging hedgerows in this way?
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, as the noble Lord will probably be aware, a circular issued by the Ministry of Trans-port in relation to spraying of hedgerows does contain a paragraph which draws attention to the dangers of over-use; and of course a constant watch is being kept by the Nature Conservancy, which, as the noble Lord knows, is a component part of the Natural Environment Research Council.
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, may I ask whether Her Majesty's Government are aware that owing to the inadequacy 440 of farmers' incomes hedgerows are being torn to pieces by mechanical machines and grubbed out by farmers who are no longer able to afford to keep them, thus denuding the countryside of shelter and beauty?
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, I do not think I can accept the noble Lord's premise. Farmers, like every other section of the community, are go-ahead, and if modern farming demands fewer hedgerows, naturally they see that they do not have as many. I think farmers are well aware of the value and beauty of hedgerows and would certainly not do anything to endanger wild life.
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that there appears to be a race of farmers to-day who no longer appreciate the value of hedge-rows?
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, it is not for me or for Her Majesty's Government in any way to comment upon the actions of farmers, but I would certainly not agree that they are a race who do not appreciate the value of wild life.
§ LORD BALERNOMy Lords, are Her Majesty's Government aware that those farmers who wish to establish hedgerows can do so more speedily and effectively by the proper use of selective herbicides?
§ BARONESS PHILLIPSMy Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord for that very interesting comment.