§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate how many full-time and part-time jobs have been lost as a consequence of the set-aside scheme for agricultural land in Scotland; and if he will estimate how many of those job losses are attributable to whole farm set-side.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonAs indicated in the reply given to the hon. Member on 15 December 1988 at col.622 the possible consequences of the set-aside scheme for farm employment will be included in an evaluation of the scheme in its early years of operation. No results are yet available. I do not expect whole farm set-aside to be a significant factor since in the majority of cases where the whole of the area of eligible land has been set aside, the set-aside area represents less than half the total area of the farm.