HC Deb 09 May 1994 vol 243 cc40-1W
Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is her latest estimate of(a) the total area of cereals grown in the United Kingdom in 1993 and (b) the area of land which was set aside under the arable area payments scheme in 1993.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The June 1993 agricultural census estimated that a total area of 3,030,900 hectares of cereals—excluding maize—was grown in the United Kingdom in 1993. The total area of land which qualified for set-aside payments under the arable area payments scheme, including land used to grow crops for non-food purposes, was 567,000 hectares.

Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers in England received arable area payments greater than(a) £100,000, (b) £250,000, (c) £500,000 and (d) £1,000,000 in the last available year.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

I regret that this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in England had arable aid scheme set-aside areas greater than(a) 100 hectares and (b) 50 hectares in the last available year.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

In 1993, 204 holdings in England had more than 100 hectares of land set aside under the arable area payments scheme and 1,151 holdings had between 50 and 100 hectares.

1993. Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the rates of set-aside payment under the arable area payments scheme for each region of the United Kingdom for(a) the current year and (b)

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The payment rates per hectare for setting aside land under the arable area payments scheme are as follows. The actual rates paid in 1994 may be reduced if base areas are exceeded and set-aside land which is used to grow sugar beet for industrial purposes does not qualify for any payment.

Region 1992–93 Actual £ 1993–94 2Projected £ 11993–94 2Projected £
England 253 314 220
Wales: LFA 198 175 123
Wales: Non-LFA 198 273 192
Scotland: LFA 205 254 178
Scotland: Non-LFA 236 295 207
Northern Ireland 201 249 175
1 Voluntary set-aside for which there is no corresponding area of eligible cropped land.
2 Payment rates are set in european currency units and converted to sterling at the green rate prevailing on 1 July for the year in question. The projected payment rates for 1993–94 have been converted using an exchange rate of 1 ecu/£0.929299 but the actual green rate on 1 July may be higher or lower than this.

Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest total paid to farmers

Date of arrival at slaughterhouse Country of registration of the haulier Nationality of driver Number of animals deemed unfit at the slaughterhouse for further transport Number of animals dead on arrival at the slaughterhouse Number of recumbent animals at the slaughterhouse
17 February 1994 Germany German 0 0 0
8 March 1994 Netherlands Dutch 0 1 0
9 March 1994 Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland 1 1 0
17 March 1994 United Kingdom British 6 2 6
28 January 1994 Republic of Ireland Not recorded 1 0 1
15 February 1994 Netherlands Dutch 2 1 2
8 March 1994 United Kingdom British 1 0 1
23 March 1994 Republic of Ireland Not recorded 0 0 0