§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost of rebuilding a derelict dry stone wall for any length for which figures are available. [26450]
§ Mr. AtkinsMy Department has not carried out specific research into the costs of rebuilding dry stone walls. The costs in particular cases are likely to be subject to considerable variation depending on a number of factors including a wall's design, height and width, the extent of dereliction, the availability of stone and the nature of the terrain.
§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking, following the Countryside Commission's national survey of the condition of dry stone walls, to ensure that walls which have major signs of advancing or potential deterioration 787W or are in early stages of dereliction are rebuilt or otherwise repaired. [26436]
§ Mr. AtkinsThe Government already offer payments for the repair and restoration of stone walls in landscapes eligible for support under the countryside stewardship scheme, the farm and conservation grant scheme and in environmentally sensitive areas. Proposals for the integration and focus of environmental land management schemes in England were published on 18 May by my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Library of the House.