HL Deb 14 March 2000 vol 610 cc202-4WA
Lord Marlesford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, under the integrated administration and control system (IACS) of the common agricultural policy, in cases where the width of the boundary between two fields exceeds 2 metres but does not exceed 4 metres the 2 metre distance is allowed for each field, or whether, where the boundary consists of a hedge and ditch and the field boundary under customary agricultural practice is regarded as the root of the hedge, the whole width of the boundary between the two fields has to be deducted from the cropped area of the field bordered by the ditch. [HL1078]

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman)

In cases where a boundary separates two fields claimed under IACS, the full Ordnance Survey area of both fields can be claimed as long as the width of the margin from each side of the boundary to the crop does not exceed 2 metres.

The issue of how the guidance on field margins should be applied in cases where a narrow ditch runs along the side of a hedge is currently under consideration by my officials in consultation with the European Commission.