§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on current developments in the utilisation of waste straw for industrial purposes; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerMy Department takes a keen interest in the prospects for the increased utilisation of surplus straw as a fuel and in the manufacture of compost, animal feed and straw board, where significant quantities are already used. We are also interested in the possible development of new outlets such as paper manufacture.
In order to encourage investment in these areas my Department has asked the EC Commission to consider their inclusion within the cereals programme for England and Wales under regulation 355/77, which provides for FEOGA grants for marketing and processing projects.