§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make it her policy to include trees in set-aside schemes; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. JackWe have been pressing for the EC rules of the arable area payments scheme to be amended to enable land which is taken out of production under forestry schemes to count against set-aside. My right hon. Friend the Minister raised this most recently at the Council of Agriculture Ministers this week, and we will continue to argue in favour of establishing this important link between set-aside and forestry.