HC Deb 30 April 1996 vol 276 cc483-4W
Mr. Morley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to initiate and fund a whole-farm project for arable farmers under the countryside stewardship scheme for the benefit of skylarks; [27158]

(2) what further plans he has to introduce measures for arable extensification as required under the EU agri-environment regulation EEC 2078/92. [27161]

Mr. Boswell

EC agri-environment regulation 2078/92 requires member states to introduce a number of different categories of schemes, including oneto change to more extensive forms of crop, including forage, production, or to maintain extensive production methods introduced in the past, or to convert arable land into extensive grassland

This is implemented in England through the environmentally sensitive areas, countryside stewardship and some options of the habitat scheme.

We have recently reviewed our agri-environment schemes and, in particular, the future of countryside stewardship following extensive and detailed public consultations. We relaunched the countryside stewardship scheme this month and our objectives and decisions on priorities for the scheme have been widely welcomed. We have no plans at present to alter our priorities for stewardship or to introduce any new agri-environment schemes.

Mr. Morley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to stem the decline of birds of the open field; [27159]

(2) what plans he has to replace the environmental benefits of set-aside by a new arable extensification scheme in the event that the percentage of land currently in set-aside is reduced. [27160]

Mr. Boswell

Following a suggestion made at the national agri-environment forum on 25 March, I agreed that officials should set up a working group to look at ways of enhancing the conservation value of cropped arable land, focusing particularly on promoting environmental benefits in the centre of fields for birds and other wildlife. This group will include representatives of key farming and conservation organisations and I expect it to commence work in the near future.

In addition, the Ministry sponsored the recent farmland bird management guidelines prepared by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, which I sent to all farmers in England with more than 100 hectares of arable land. These set out a number of practical ways in which farmers can encourage birds on their farms.