§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of arable farms have hedgerow buffer strips around their fields; and if he will make a statement. [110704]
§ Ms QuinSome figures are available for the length of arable margins on which payments are made under agri-environment schemes, but these do not take account of all other farms where farmers may voluntarily have buffer strips. Figures on the percentage of farms which have buffer strips are not collected and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.