HC Deb 01 July 1994 vol 245 cc769-70W
Mr. David Porter

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made with the implementation of the nitrate sensitive areas scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Following extensive consultations on the nitrate sensitive areas scheme, I am very pleased to announce that details of the new scheme are available from today. The necessary Statutory Instrument designating the NSAs and setting out the measures and associated payment rates has been laid before Parliament.

The new scheme will build upon and extend the voluntary approach introduced by the 10 pilot NSAs in 1990. The 22 new NSAs cover 28 separate water sources where nitrate levels exceed, or are predicted to exceed, the EC limit of 50 mg per/litre and will add a further 35,000 hectares to the 10,500 hectares of the pilot NSAs.

Farmers in these areas will have the opportunity to reduce nitrate leaching from their land by opting to make substantial changes to their farming systems. The new scheme offers increased flexibility and farmers can choose to enter land on a field-by-field basis, within a range of options, into agreements lasting for five years. I hope that all farmers in the NSAs will feel able to enter land into the scheme.

The pilot NSAs are already demonstrating that NSA measures, are effective in reducing nitrate leaching. I am confident that this new scheme will make a major contribution towards ensuring the future viability of these key sources of public drinking water.

All farmers with land in the NSAs will automatically be sent an information pack about the scheme by their local Ministry regional service centre. Applications to join the scheme this year must be returned to regional service centres by 19 August.

The new nitrate sensitive areas scheme is one of the six EC-assisted environmental schemes which MAFF is launching this year as a consequence of the common agricultural policy reforms agreed in 1992. Total expenditure on the NSA schemes is planned to rise to £8.3 million a year.