HC Deb 10 June 1993 vol 226 cc304-5W
13. Ms Quin

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new measures her Department is considering to encourage or require farmers to promote wildlife habitats.

Mr. Jack

We are considering the results of consultations which we have just held on a range of new measures to benefit wildlife habitats, including new environmentally sensitive areas, a scheme to improve the condition of moorland and a habitat improvement scheme.

Mr. Milligan

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make provision under the new set-aside scheme for the preservation of good wildlife habitats created under the existing scheme.

Mr. Jack

We expect that farmers with land in the five-year set-aside scheme or in rotational set-aside will be able to enter land directly into non-rotational set-aside under the new arable area payments scheme. In addition, as part of our agri-environment programme, we are proposing a new scheme for the withdrawal of land from production for 20 years. Habitats of particular value created under the five-year scheme would be eligible for this new long-term scheme.