§ Mr. RichardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are his plans for arable regionalisation in Wales.
§ Mr. RedwoodFor the 1993–94 scheme year—1994–95 marketing year—I propose that Wales should be split into two regions on a parish by parish basis using the pre-1974 boundaries.
In region 1, the notional average yield will be 5.93 tonnes per hectare, the same as in England.
The yield in region 2 will be calculated in such a way as to give an average of 4.65 tonnes per hectare over Wales as a whole.
A parish will be included in region 1 if:
it contains land suitable for growing winter cereals according to parameters defined by the Soil Survey and Land Research Centre; andan average of at least 50 hectares of wheat and winter barley was grown in the parish in the three years in 1989–91.I have placed in the Library of the House a copy of the report prepared for my Department by the Soil Survey and Land Research Centre along with a list of the parishes that fulfil the above criteria according to Welsh Office records based on the location of holdings. However, if it can be demonstrated by documentary evidence that a parish in which on average 50 or more hectares of wheat and winter barley was grown in 1989–91 is not included in my region 1 list and if the parish also fulfils the land suitability criteria, I will add it to region 1.
My officials will be writing to all cereal farmers in Wales giving details of the arrangements I am proposing. I am also inviting the views of industry representatives on them. Any comments on this proposal or representations on additions to region 1 should be made to my Department by 17 December.