§ Mr. Hicksasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total area of England which meets the necessary criteria as set out in Article 3 of the EEC Directive 75/271 for various forms of financial assistance in respect of less favoured areas but does not qualify at present because the United Kingdom Government have not submitted an application for it to be considered in this manner.
608W
§ Mr. StrangThis information is not available. The areas currently covered by the directive are virtually the same as those covered under the arrangements for hill farming grants and subsidies which preceded our implementation of the directive. The United Kingdom is currently spending more under the directive than any other country in the Community. Representations from the industry regarding the question of special aids for certain "marginal" land areas outside less-favoured areas are being considered.