§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce a licensing system under which farmers must report to the local police their intention to bum straw or stubble.
§ Mrs. FennerNo. A licensing system would be extremely costly to administer and would make only a marginal contribution to the prevention of careless straw and stubble burning. Existing straw-burning byelaws can require farmers to give notice to the county fire brigade of their intention to burn straw or stubble.
§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will introduce legislation to ban the burning of straw or stubble in fields adjoining motorways;
(2) if he will strengthen the code on the burning of straw and stubble;
(3) if he will meet the chairman of the National Farmers Union to discuss the problems caused to the general public as a result of straw or stubble burning;
(4) if his Department will ensure that farmers fully understand and follow the code of practice for the burning of straw or stubble; and if he will make a statement;
(5) if he will hold discussions with the National Farmers Union to encourage greater use of straw.
§ Mrs. FennerMy Department regularly gives widespread publicity and advice to farmers on the need to observe the provisions of the National Farmers Union's code of practice when burning straw and stubble.
The National Farmers Union has recently announced its intention to strengthen its code and my Department will be assisting it in this. We are also discussing with the Home Office ways in which the model byelaw — on which district councils' straw-burning byelaws are based — can be strengthened. Additional measures for reducing the risks of smoke hazards on roads will be included in these discussions.
The Government sponsor a wide range of research into alternative means of utilising and disposing of straw and are currently spending almost £2 million a year on this research.
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§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received from the National Farmers Union a copy of its code of practice as to the burning of straw and stubble; and if he will place a copy in the Library.
§ Mrs. FennerI have today placed in the Library a copy of the National Farmers Union's straw and stubble burning code 1982, revised 1983, which my Department helped to prepare.
§ Mr. Galeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will detail the terms of reference for his Department's inquiry into the practice of straw and stubble burning.
§ Mr. JoplingA review of the experience of straw burning is undertaken by my Department each year. In view of the particular problems which arose during this year's burning season, I directed that this year's review be more detailed than in the past. My Department's regional staff, including our agricultural development and advisory service, submitted their detailed observations of the conditions and problems experienced locally. Account was also taken of the many representations made to us on this subject.
The results of our review convinced me that further action should be taken to reduce the level of damage and disturbance which has so obviously occured. Accordingly, I have announced that I wish to see a strengthening both of the NFU's code of practice and of the local authority byelaws on straw burning. My officials are already discussing with the Home Office and the NFU how best this may be achieved. For the longer term, we are continuing our substantial commitment to research into alternative means of straw disposal and utilisation.
§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the councils in rural areas which have called upon Her Majesty's Government to ban straw and stubble burning.
§ Mrs. FennerA number of representations from local councils have been received expressing a variety of opinions on the question of straw and stubble burning. No central record is kept of those councils which have called for a ban, either in 1983 or in previous years.
§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek reports from each county chief fire officer as to the trouble they have had to face as a result of straw and stubble burning in the summer of 1983.
§ Mrs. FennerI have studied the comments on straw burning in 1983 recently submitted to the Home Office on behalf of the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association. I understand that a number of chief fire officers take the view that a ban on straw burning might
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EC Foodstocks in Public Storage '000 tonnes Commodity 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 Date Taken (in each year) Butter 170 213 312 171 9 74 639 End October Skimmed Milk Powder 1,065 864 333 227 332 577 1,040 End October Cheese 0 38 40 34 38 50 56 End October increase the present dangers by opening the way to accidental ignition without any of the precautions taken under the existing arrangements for controlled burning.
§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the notional value of straw that has been burnt by farmers so far in 1983.
§ Mrs FennerIt is not possible to attribute a value to the straw which has been burnt, because in the main there are few economic outlets for it. Should more outlets be found in the future, the value will depend largely upon the use to which the straw is put and any associated transport and processing costs.