§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the total budget for the Countryside Stewardship Scheme is in each of the next three years in England. [76093]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 11 March 1999]: The total budget available in the 1999–2000 financial year for the Countryside Stewardship including the main scheme, the Arable Stewardship Pilot Scheme and the Upland Experiment is estimated to be over £32 million. This includes payments to farmers, scheme monitoring costs and the work of the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency (FRCA) and not MAFF administrative costs. Figures for 2000–01 and 2001–02 are not yet available.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications were received in England during 1998 to join the Countryside552W Stewardship Scheme; what area of land they represented; how many were approved; and what area of land they represented. [76095]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 11 March 1999]: The number of applications received for the Countryside Stewardship Scheme in 1998 was 2,445. Of these, 1,290 agreements have been offered to date, covering an area of 21,919 ha of land. Data on the area of land covered by applications which were rejected or deferred are not recorded.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total area of farmland in England covered by the Countryside Stewardship Scheme; and what is the area covered by the scheme within the less favoured areas and its proportion of the total LFA area. [76091]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 11 March 1999]: The total area of land currently under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme in England is 161,896 ha, virtually all of which is managed agriculturally.
The area covered by the scheme in the Less Favoured Areas is approximately 55,500 ha which is 3 per cent. of the total area of LFA.