§ Mr. CummingsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many miles of hedgerows have been replanted in the northern region in the last three years; and at what cost in grants.
§ Mr. RyderI regret that figures relating purely to hedge replanting are not available. Neither do we have details of hedge planting carried out without grant aid. Grant paid between October 1985 and September 1988 in the Ministry's northern region under the agriculture improvement scheme for hedge planting, hedge laying and associated gates and stiles amounted to £407,494 on eligible expenditure of £911,685. This broadly equates to 275 miles of hedge planting.