§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) sheep and (b) breeding ewes have been removed in each less-favoured area to meet requirements to prevent overgrazing. [3224]
§ Mr. Douglas Hogg[holding answer 30 November 1995]: The overgrazing provisions of the livestock premium schemes do not force farmers to remove animals from the less-favoured areas of the UK. They restrict the subsidy payments to farmers who continue to graze animals in excess of notified numbers on overgrazed land. 369W In England, notifications have been issued to 33 farmers, and over 8,500 sheep and about 400 breeding cows will have to be removed from overgrazed land if the graziers' livestock subsidies are to be unaffected by overgrazing penalties. Responsibility for the implementation of overgrazing provisions of the livestock subsidy schemes in other parts of the United Kingdom falls to the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland.