§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will request advice from Scottish Natural Heritage on the likely environmental effects of the ending of the conservation management agreements made under the Scottish island agricultural development programme, in March 1993.
§ Sir Hector MonroThere have been mutual benefits for farmers and crofters and the environment from the measures introduced on the Scottish islands under the agricultural development programme, and I have no reason to believe that these will not continue once the programme is completed next year. If necessary I will of course look to Scottish Natural Heritage for advice on this matter, but do not propose to do so at this time.
§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to provide continuing support for farmers and crofters in receipt of conservation management agreements under the Scottish islands agricultural development programme beyond March 1993.
§ Sir Hector MonroSupport for farmers and crofters to continue or to commence environmentally friendly farming practices is available to those who operate in environmentally sensitive areas. In the Scottish islands, part of the Western Isles is presently so designated, and the Shetland islands and the Argyll islands will be given this status on 1 April next year. Other sources of assistance are available to farmers who carry out works which bring environmental benefits, for example, through the farm and conservation grant scheme. More generally, support for conservation management is now inherent under the agreement to revise the common agricultural policy. It is now incumbent on all member states to bring forward further programmes to encourage environmentally sensitive farming.
§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the actual or planned expenditure, as part of the Scottish islands agricultural development programme, on conservation management agreements for(a) Shetland, (b) Orkney and (c) the inner Hebrides, for each of the five years of the programme.
§ Sir Hector MonroExpenditure on environmental management measures in each of the five years of the agricultural development programme is as follows:
Orkney Shetland Other ADP islands £ £ £ 1988–89 22,082 4,147 117,874 1989–90 139,433 22,193 1126,717 1990–91 259,117 44,673 1297,408 1991–92 133,336 65,250 1241,838 1992–93 185,000 55,650 2260,000 TOTAL 738,968 191,913 943,837 1 Actual. 2 Committed.