§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what grants are available to hill farmers in England to maintain dry stone walls; and what were the total amounts paid for each year since 1984.
§ Mr. JackCapital grants are available under the farm and conservation grant scheme to all eligible farm businesses for the provision, replacement and improvement of traditional wall and banks. The table below shows the grant paid on these items predominantly for dry stone walling, under the F and CGS and its predecessor the agriculture improvement scheme since 1986 in both less favoured areas and lowland areas—non-LFAs. Information prior to the financial year 1986–87 is not readily available.
Grant paid on traditional walls under AIS and F and CGS Year Grant paid in LFAs £000s Grant paid in Non-LFAs £000s Total grant paid £000s 1986–87 307 25 332 1987–88 928 48 976 1988–89 1,075 60 1,135 1989–90 1,119 103 1,222 1990–91 1,092 170 1,262 1991–92 1,183 321 1,504 1992–93 1,417 431 1,848 1993–94 1,474 530 2,004 Total 8,595 1,688 10,283