Mr. RobertsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 28 July 2000,Official Report, column 1128W, what further discussions he has had with other EU ministers regarding rules on hedgerows and field margins; and if he will make a statement. [136930]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 8 November 2000]: The reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 7 November 2000, Official Report, column 150W, explained that the European Commission had proposed a change to the rules of the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) which would allow United Kingdom farmers to continue, on a permanent basis, to treat hedges and other field margins in the same way as they had done in the past so far as their inclusion in IACS claims was concerned. I am pleased to say that the adoption of this proposal has now been secured. It will enter into force on 1 January 2001.