§ Lord Beaumont of Whitleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many applications for grants to farmers for the rehabilitation of old orchards have been refused in the last two years for lack of available funds; how much money would have been required to make the grants; and what steps they propose to take to enable such grants to be made in future. [HL258]
§ Lord DonoughueGrants for the rehabilitation of old orchards are available under the Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) schemes. No ESA applications have been refused in the last two years (1997 and 1998). The information in the form requested could only be provided for the Countryside Stewardship scheme at disproportionate cost. Of the 118 applications received for the Countryside Stewardship scheme where orchard rehabilitation was the main objective, 38 could not be accepted for reasons of lack of funding. The average cost of all Stewardship agreements approved this year was £5,200.
The Government have taken steps to increase the funding for new agreements under the Countryside Stewardship scheme, which will rise by £1 million from the £6.5 million available in 1998 to £7.5 million in 1999. This will increase the potential to offer more agreements for the range of landscapes eligible under the scheme, including old orchards, where applications meet the scheme's targets and provide good environmental value for money.