HC Deb 07 February 1990 vol 166 cc709-10W
Dr. Thomas

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the different types of grant aid available under the environmentally sensitive area system; and what is the average size of farms awarded grant aid when an environmentally sensitive area is developed.

Mr. Curry

Under the environmentally sensitive areas scheme farmers receive annual payments for following agricultural practices beneficial to the environment. Each scheme focuses on the environmental features characteristic of the area concerned. Since individual management agreements do not generally relate to the whole farm, it is not possible to state the average size of the farms involved.

Dr. Thomas

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total annual cost to public funds of the environmentally sensitive areas system; and what is the total annual budget for each environmentally sensitive area.

Mr. Curry

United Kingdom expenditure under the environmentally sensitive area schemes (ESAs) for the current financial year is forecast to be £12.6 million. The level of expenditure is determined by the number of agreements made with individual farmers. Budgets are not fixed for each separate ESA.