§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give, in respect of each environmentally sensitive area(a) the total extent, in hectares, (b) the extent of agricultural land, (c) the number of farmers eligible to enter into management agreements, (d) the number of agreements concluded with farmers and (e) the total area of land covered by agreements.
§ Mr. RyderThe total area in hectares of each environmentally sensitive area in England is as follows:
Hectares Broads 29,870 Somerset Levels and Moors 26,970 South Downs 48,820 Pennine Dales 15,900 West Penwith 7,200 Breckland 88,480 North Peak 50,250 Suffolk River Valleys 38,000 Shropshire Borders 21,360 Test Valley 2,690 The figures are provisional and subject to minor amendment when final measurement and checking has been completed. The extent of agricultural land in each ESA is still being measured and will be presented in the report to Parliament referred to in my answer of today's date. Information on the number of farmers eligible to enter the ESA scheme in each area is not available.
The number of agreements concluded in 1987 and total area of land covered in each ESA are as follows: 674W
Number 1Area Broads 389 6,735 Somerset Levels and Moors 523 7,709 South Downs (East) 58 3,104 Pennine Dales 218 8,130 West Penwith 139 5,552 1 Hectares. The other areas were not open for applications until 1988. Applications received in 1988 for all areas are still being processed.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in respect of land within each environmentally sensitive area, how many applications have been received from voluntary conservation bodies wishing to enter into management agreements; what is the total area of land involved; how many agreements have so far been concluded with voluntary conservation bodies; and what is the total area of land involved.
§ Mr. RyderThe information requested on applications is not available for 1988. In England 11 agreements covering some 570 hectares were concluded with voluntary conservation bodies in 1987. The information could not be given for individual environmentally sensitive areas without risking disclosure of information on individual agreements.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to report to the House, in accordance with the requirements of section 18(8) of the Agriculture Act 1986, on the performance of management agreements in environmentally sensitive areas; and whether any such report will describe the steps taken to monitor the effect of the agreements on wildlife and the landscape in each area.
§ Mr. RyderI expect to place a report, as required by section 18(8) of the Agriculture Act 1986, in the Libraries of both Houses by the autumn. The report will describe how the Ministry is monitoring the effects of ESA agreements in England, including on wildlife and the landscape, and will provide statistical information about each ESA.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contribution he expects to receive from European Community funds towards the costs incurred in 1987 and 1988 in making payments to farmers in environmentally sensitive areas in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. RyderThe European Community will contribute 25 per cent, of the cost of payments to farmers of up to 60 ecu (£39) per hectare in the case of land on which hill livestock compensatory allowances are paid and 100 ecu (£65) per hectare on other land. I expect the contribution to amount to approximately £340,000 in 1987 but it is too early to make a firm estimate for 1988. The United Kingdom is a net contributor to the European Community budget so all payments to this country from the Community are funded by the Exchequer.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the savings which will be made in expenditure under the common agricultural policy on commodities produced on farms in environmentally sensitive areas in the United Kingdom in 1987 and 1988.
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§ Mr. RyderIt is too early to make a reliable estimate. Estimation of such savings will be made as part of the programme of monitoring and evaluation of the environmentally sensitive areas scheme.