§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements are made by his Department to encourage farmers to set aside special feeding areas for geese and other birds.
§ Mr. RyderThe set-aside scheme provides grants of up to £200 per hectare per year to farmers setting aside arable land and maintaining it in grass or another green cover 517W crop. The Department's leaflet, "Set-Aside: A Practical Guide", which is sent to all participants, draws specific attention to the case for using set-aside land planted with grass as a feeding area for birds, such as brent geese.