§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what help she plans to give(a) rural farms to help with modulation and (b) environmental schemes (i) in national parks and (ii) elsewhere. [71297]
§ Mr. MorleyBecause of the requirement for match-funding, modulation means an increase in the national funds available to farmers. Depending upon their ability to deliver the objectives of agri-environment or other rural development schemes, farmers may have access to additional funding streams. In England, the Government plan to roll-out a new "broad and shallow", entry-level agri-environment scheme during 2005–06, following a successful pilot. This scheme will be widely drawn so that most farmers will be eligible to enter.
The scheme will be introduced as an addition to the existing agri-environment schemes, Countryside Stewardship, Environmentally Sensitive Areas and the Organic Farming Scheme. Under the England Rural Development Programme the Government planned to spend a total of £1 billion on these schemes in the period 2000–06.
There are currently no plans to give English rural farms within national parks additional help with national modulation or environmental schemes over and above that which they receive at present or may be eligible to apply
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Current public consultations since 1 April 2002 Date issued Deadline date Website address Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control: a Practical Guide, 2 edition—published for comment 28 June 2002 1 November 2002 http://defraweb/environment/ppc/ippcguide/index.htm Consultation on the proposed Animal Health Rules Regulation 17 July 2002 18 October 2002 http://defraweb/corporate/consult/ahealth/index.htm New draft Environmental Information Regulations 15 July 2002 4 October 2002 http://defraweb/environment/consult/envinfo/index.htm Consultation on CAP reform: mid-term review of Agenda 2000 11 July 2002 4 October 2002) http://defraweb/corporate/consult/capreform/index.htm Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the recognition of professional qualifications (COM (2002) 119 final) 5 July 2002 30 September 2002 http://defraweb/corporate/consult/profqual/index.htm Review of Access in Agri-Environment Schemes 8 July 2002 27 September 2002 http://defraweb/corporate/consult/erdpacccss/index.htm Consultation exercise on the bio-energy infrastructure scheme 25 June 2002 16 September 2002 http://defraweb/corporate/consult/bio-energy/index.htm Crime prevention on rights of way: public consultation paper on the designation of areas and other procedural matters 19 June 2002 20 September 2002 http://defraweb/wildlife-countryside/consult/rowcrime/index.htm Enforcement of highway authorities' duty to prevent obstructions on rights of way: consultation paper on the implementation of section 63 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 19 June 2002 20 September 2002 http://defraweb/wildlife-countryside/consult/rowcrime/obstruct/index.htm for. However, individual national park authorities are able to negotiate their own management agreements with individual farmers and landowners within their boundary.