§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number and location of incidents where overgrazing was confirmed by the Ministry in each year between 1990 and 1998. [83479]
§ Mr. RookerNo cases of overgrazing were confirmed between 1990 and 1993. The following table gives the information requested for the period from 1994 to 1998. It does not cover work on the separate but related issue of environmental damage caused by the use of unsuitable methods to provide supplementary feed to livestock. Reports of suspected overgrazing are investigated by the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency on behalf of the Ministry using a two-stage assessment process.
395W
§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many incidents of overgrazing were(a) reported and (b) investigated by the Ministry in each year between 1990 and 1998. [83480]
§ Mr. RookerThe material requested is not readily available and could be provided quickly only at disproportionate cost. The Ministry is, however, taking steps to collate this information and I will write to my hon. Friend in due course with a full reply.
§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many hill livestock compensatory allowance and sheep annual premium payments were withheld or reduced as a result of overgrazing by recipients in each year between 1990 and 1998. [83476]
§ Mr. RookerThere have been no cases where payments of Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance or Sheep Annual Premium have been withheld because of overgrazing. In cases where overgrazing is confirmed, subsidy payments are reduced or withheld only if the producers concerned do not take appropriate steps to address the problem. So far it has not been necessary to apply these sanctions.