§ Sir Raymond Gowerasked the Secretary of State for Wales what consultation he has had with the National Farmers Union, the Farmers Union of Wales and the Country Landowners Association concerning straw burning.
§ Mr. John Stradling ThomasNone. The problems associated with careless straw and stubble burning have occurred mainly in England. My right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Home Secretary recently sought comment from local authority associations and members of the National Farmers union's straw-burning working party on draft revised model byelaws, on which the local authority straw and stubble burning byelaws are based. My Department will also be consulting the Farmers' Union of Wales.
The NFU's straw-burning working party, on which MAFF and the Country Landowners' Association are represented, is also revising and strengthening the code of practice on safe straw and stubble burning.