§ 3.14 p.m.
§ Lord Greenhill of HarrowMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are satisfied with the progress made by the Environmental Co-ordination Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture set up last summer.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)Yes, my Lords. The Environment Co-ordination Unit has strengthened the links between the advisory, scientific and policy groups within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and this has led to a greater awareness of, and a more closely integrated approach to, environmental issues relevant to the ministry's work.
§ Lord Greenhill of HarrowMy Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply, which is not unsatisfactory. Can 308 he give us an assurance that his department will continue energetically to take a constructive attitude towards sensible environmental proposals?
§ Lord BelsteadYes, my Lords; as I stated in my original Answer, the setting up of this unit has been helpful in this matter. It will not have escaped the noble Lord's attention that it was set up after the report of the Select Committee which was under his chairmanship.
Lord HuntMy Lords, does not the Minister's Answer imply that there is no question of co-ordination between his ministry and the Department of the Environment? Further, does the co-ordinating unit have no responsibilities for co-ordinating the policies and plans of the Forestry Commission in addition to those of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food?
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, with regard to the Forestry Commission, those policies are a matter for that commission. With regard to the relationship between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of the Environment, I think that this has been made more effective by the setting up of this unit. It is a matter of particular satisfaction that the experimental scheme for the Norfolk Broads, which was announced at the end of January by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Department of the Environment, is in fact to be funded on a 50–50 basis by the two departments.
§ Lord John-MackieMy Lords, I think we would all agree that it is a step in the right direction to co-ordinate all the various environmental and agricultural issues in the list that the Minister gave. But is he aware that farmers are a little worried not by the emphasis on planting trees, which is correct, but by the emphasis on the kind of trees? A farmer gets a grant when he plants deciduous trees; and emphasis is being placed on the economic value of planting trees. Should not a farmer also get a grant for planting conifer trees, the results of which he will not see in his lifetime? The point applies particularly to tenant farmers. As the Minister will recall, he removed any chance of a grant being paid in certain cases. I should like the Minister to give some thought as to how exactly grants are given for the type of trees that are planted.
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, I think we are getting very wide of the original Question. It is a matter which I should like to look into, but I do not think it is a matter for the co-ordination unit.