HC Deb 22 November 1994 vol 250 cc68-9W
Mr. Tipping

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been paid or will be paid to landowners and occupiers under the countryside stewardship scheme for(a) linear access and (b) open access in each year from 1991–92 to 1994–95.

Mr. Atkins

[holding answer 21 November 1994]: Total commitments for annual access payments agreed as a consequence of agreements are given in the table below. Payments are made annually in arrears.

Financial year when payments to be made Commitments for Open access (£ cumulative) Linear Access (£cumulative)
1991–92 n/a
1992–93 337,250
1993–94 575,200 32,267
1994–95 646,250 62,954

Mr. Tipping

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was or will be the total cost of all operations, except payments to landowners and occupiers, under the countryside stewardship scheme in each of the years 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95; and, in each of the four years, how much of this was connected with the additional public access component of the scheme.

Mr. Atkins

[holding answer Monday 21 November 1994]: The total management cost of the scheme including administration, provision of advice and monitoring and evaluation, but excluding payments to agreement holders for each of the financial years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94 was £1 million, £1.8 million and £2.15 million respectively. The projected cost on the same basis for 1994–95 is £2.1 million. The cost of managing the access element is not accounted for separately because many of the costs incurred are an integral part of overall scheme management.

Mr. Tipping

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the land which was subject to additional access payments under the countryside stewardship scheme took the form of linear access and how much took the form of open access in each of the years 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95.

Mr. Atkins

[holding answer Monday 21 November 1994]: The information requested is given in the table below. Linear access payments were not available in 1991–92. Payments are made annually in arrears. Figures for 1994–95 are not yet available as some contracts remain under offer.

Financial Year Amount of land subject to open access payments (hectares) agreed in that financial year Length of linear routes subject to access payments (km) agreed in that financial year
1991–92 6,745 n/a
1992–93 4,759 188.6
1993–94 1,421 155
1994–95 n/a n/a

Mr. Tipping

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the successful applications made under the countryside stewardship scheme involved additional payments for access in each year since 1991–92.

Mr. Atkins

[holding answer Monday 21 November 1994]: The information requested is given in the table below. Payments are made annually in arrears. Figures for contracts for 1994–95 are not yet available as some remain under offer.

Financial Year Number of Countryside Stewardship contracts entered into which involved payments for access
1991–92 320
1992–93 373
1993–94 197
1994–95 n/a

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