HC Deb 19 July 1995 vol 263 c1512W
Mr. McFall

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to review the operation and effectiveness of the agri-environment measures operating in Scotland. [34845]

Mr. Raymond S. Robertson

All aspects of the operation and effectiveness of the agri-environment measures are kept under review.

Mr. McFall

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will outline his policy towards environmentally sensitive areas; for what reasons farmers and crofters in Scotland are subject to financial limits on the annual environmentally sensitive area payments they receive; and what plans he has to harmonise their treatment to accord with practice in the rest of the United Kingdom. [34843]

Mr. Robertson

The environmentally sensitive areas scheme is an important part of Scotland's agri-environmental programme and has operated since 1987, for the benefit of many farmers and crofters and Scotland's unique natural heritage. The financial limits are designed to ensure that the resources available for the scheme are not absorbed by a small number of large farms at the expense of smaller units which could demonstrate conservation benefits. The scheme has been tailored specifically to reflect Scottish conditions and I have no plans to harmonise the detail of the scheme to accord with the approach adopted elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

Mr. McFall

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what community environmental objectives will be met by the agri-environment programme in Scotland as required by article 3.3(c) of the EU Agri-Environment Regulations 2078/92. [34846]

Mr. Robertson

The objectives of the environmentally sensitive areas scheme, the heather moorland scheme, the habitats scheme, the organic aid scheme and the set-aside access scheme are in compliance with respectively, article 2.1(a), (b), (c), (d) and (g), 2.1(c) and (d), 2,1(f), 2.1(a) and (d) and 2.1 (g) of regulation (EEC) 2078/92.

In addition, the environmentally sensitive areas scheme, the heather moorland scheme and the habitats scheme also reflect the objectives of the habitats directive—92/43/EEC—and the birds directive–79.409/EEC.