§ The Earl of Caithnessasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the European Union Commissioner for Agriculture has written to the Minister for Agriculture accepting that the United Kingdom should, for this year, continue the existing practice for measuring field margins; and, if so, on what date and at what time the letter was received, and whether it will be published. [HL1880]
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman)On Friday 24 March my honourable friend (the Minister) received a letter from Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler agreeing that the United Kingdom should, for this year, apply the same criteria as were used in 1999 and earlier years for determining the acceptability of hedges and other field margins included in claims based on whole Ordnance Survey field areas under the Integrated Administration and Control System. A press release containing this information was released the same day. Copies of the letter have been placed in the Libraries of the House.