Set-aside Land: EU Rules (Hansard, 26 June 1996)

Lord Lucas
My Lords, European Union rules currently prohibit any lucrative use of set-aside land incompatible with the growing of an arable crop. The European Commission has ruled that this prohibition applies even when the proceeds go to charity rather than to the farmer. The Government consider this a totally unnecessary interference in rural life which contributes nothing to the control of agricultural production in the EU.

Baroness Darcy (de Knayth)
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his encouragingly robust and sympathetic reply. In the short-term can the Minister suggest a solution to the problem faced by the Bicester and Finmere Horse Show, which over the past 35 years has raised many thousands of pounds mainly for the paraplegic sports movement? Owing to this absurd ruling, to date it has found no definite site for its show which is due to be held on 11th August.

Lord Lucas
My Lords, if the noble Baroness writes to me I shall see what the Ministry can do to help.

§ Lord Taylor of Blackburn
My Lords, the Minister says that the Government disagree with the decision of the EU. If they disagree, what will they do about it?

Lord Lucas
My Lords, we have continued to press our case with the Commission very strongly. One of the difficulties is that all bureaucracies make daft decisions like this but in this country Parliament, the press and Ministers for the most part put the matter back on the straight and narrow. In the European Union the Council of Ministers is too part-time to have time to deal with it. With good reason, the European Union pays little attention to the British press. All I can say about the European Parliament is that I hope it can be encouraged to take up this aspect of European Union policy. It would be a useful thing to do.

§ Lord Pearson of Rannoch
My Lords, bearing in mind that the countries which benefit under the common agricultural policy possess between them a large majority of the qualified majority votes which are necessary to change it, can my noble friend look forward to the happy day when the common agricultural policy itself may be set aside?

Lord Lucas
My Lords, generally I look ahead only in terms of tens of years rather than the time-scale to which my noble friend has referred.

§ Lord Carter
My Lords, is it not ridiculous that a farmer can grow a non-food crop and graze cattle on set-aside land with the intention of making a profit but he cannot allow that land to be used to raise funds for charity? Does the Minister agree that this example of ridiculous regulation is a suitable candidate for a policy of non-co-operation?

Lord Lucas
My Lords, yes. It is a truly daft policy. To add to the noble Lord's list, one is allowed to grow opium poppies on the land.

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
My Lords, can the Minister say what happens if charities use set aside? Who will penalise them? Is not Britain a special case because it has more charities than most other European Union members?

Lord Lucas
My Lords, I am not aware of any plan to introduce a horde of Belgian inspectors, all disguised as Hercule Poirot, to go round the hedges and byways of England to see whether or not the rules are being transgressed. Nonetheless, if the European Union caught out the United Kingdom on this matter it could reduce the amount of money that it receives from the European Union, and that could be extremely expensive for us.

§ Lord Dixon-Smith
My Lords,—

§ Lord Stoddart of Swindon
My Lords—

Noble Lords
Order!

The Lord Privy Seal (Viscount Cranborne)
My Lords, we are running out of time. The longer we dispute who should take part the less time there will be for both noble Lords to contribute. Perhaps the noble Lord, Lord Stoddart, can put his question fairly quickly and then my noble friend will be able to contribute.

§ Lord Stoddart of Swindon
My Lords, does the noble Lord agree that this is yet another instance of Europe interfering in the nooks and crannies of British life? Does he also agree that all he has to do to deal with the matter is to ensure that no prosecutions are brought before the British courts? It is before the British courts that such prosecutions will have to be brought. Will that not solve the problem?

Lord Lucas
My Lords, I am not aware that any prosecutions or investigations are proposed. As to the first comment of the noble Lord, I entirely agree with him.

§ Lord Dixon-Smith
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that it is illogical that the landowner who makes land available out of the goodness of his heart without remuneration suffers if the European Union catches up with what is going on? He loses the set-aside payment. That does not apply exclusively to charitable organisations. Other social organisations, such as motorcycle clubs, or even pony clubs, wishing to use the land, equally fall within the ban. Does my noble friend agree that this kind of illogicality does nothing to enhance the good standing of public administration in general?

Lord Lucas
My Lords, I entirely agree with my noble friend. It does nothing to increase the public standing of the European Union, and I would have thought that that was something it cared about.

§ Lord Howell
My Lords, is it not the case that all of these rules and regulations are effected by Ministers, not bureaucrats? Ministers take these decisions. Why have the British Government agreed to this ludicrous proposal?

Lord Lucas
My Lords, this is a Commission decision and has nothing to do with the British Government. We have argued strongly against it, but under European Union rules we have no option but to go along with it.