§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new proposals she has to extend coppicing.
§ Mr. JackIn 1993 we secured agreement in the EC Council of Ministers that short rotation coppice could be grown on non-rotational set-aside land. On land outside the Arable area payments scheme, short rotation coppice is eligible for grants under the woodland grant scheme. Also electricity generated using coppice as a fuel may benefit from the provisions of the President of the Board of Trade's third Renewables Order imposing a non-fossil fuel obligation on public electricity supply licensees. We are considering whether any further measures to encourage coppice might be necessary, against the background of the common agricultural policy and our own forestry review.