HC Deb 03 March 1988 vol 128 c677W
72. Mr. Baldry

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the uptake of grant in the environmentally sensitive areas.

Mr. Gummer

We estimate that grant payments to farmers for the first year of operation in the first five English ESAs will amount to some £3 million.

75. Mr. Bellingham

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effects of the introduction of environtally sensitive areas.

Mr. Gummer

We are in the process of establishing a monitoring programme to assess the effects of environmentally sensitive areas. This will collect and analyse data on landscape, wildlife, historic features, farming practices and socio-economic developments. Our objective will be to assess the scheme's effects on those inter-related items. I hope to publish a first report, as required by section 18(8) of the Agriculture Act 1986, during the course of 1988.

82. Mr. Chapman

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what impact the environmentally sensitive areas scheme has had on conservation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

Farmers who applied to join the ESA scheme in the first year have been following the scheme conditions for 10 months. The impact of ESAs on conservation will be a gradual process, and to take account of that we will be monitoring its effects over the next five years. In the first year we have established a baseline of information on the land use, landscape, ecology and historic features of each area against which we will be able to monitor future trends.