HC Deb 08 February 1994 vol 237 cc127-8W
Mr. Butler

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements she is making in existing English ESAs to facilitate new public access to the countryside.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

As part of our programme to implement the EC's agri-environment regulation—Reg. 2078/92 EEC—I have laid before Parliament today regulations to amend section 18 of the Agriculture Act 1986 to enable me—and, as appropriate, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland—to introduce arrangements to encourage farmers to provide new public access opportunities in ESAs.

I shall be laying before Parliament tomorrow orders introducing a new voluntary access tier into each of the first round ESA schemes—the Broads, Somerset levels and moors, Pennine Dales, West Penwith and South downs. In addition, I shall shortly be laying orders introducing parallel arrangements into the other existing English ESA schemes—Breckland, Clun, North Peak, Suffolk River valleys, Test valley, South West peak, Exmoor, Lake district, South Wessex downs, North Kent marshes, Avon valley. Information about the new access tier will be made available to farmers in all existing English ESAs from tomorrow and farmers will be able to enter into access agreements with the Minister after the orders come into force.