§ Lord Acknerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they intend to take to deal with the current situation whereby the objectives of the South Downs Environmentally Sensitive Area Schemes, designed primarily to promote traditional chalk grassland, are being frustrated by the much higher production subsides offered to farmers for cultivating oil seed crops.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue)The Government consider oil seed and fibre crops to provide a useful alternative source of primary raw materials for industry which should be encouraged. However, in view of the recent concern about planting of flax, we are looking at a range of options specifically to address the problem of cultivation of crops on valuable wildlife sites.