Foot and Mouth Disease: Grazing on Set-aside Land (Hansard, 23 April 2001)

HL Deb 23 April 2001 vol 625 c15WA 15WA

§ Lord Northbourne
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in view of the foot and mouth emergency and the desirability of minimising movements of stock, they will immediately lift restrictions on grazing of livestock on set-aside land in cases where stock are in need of keep and no other suitable grazing is available in an adjacent or nearby field. [HL1572]

§ Baroness Hayman
Restrictions on set-aside land were lifted on 16 March 2001. The European Commission agreed to our request for a derogation from Arable Area Payment Scheme rules to allow set-aside land to be used for grazing, without loss of aid payment. This applies where no alternatives are available due to movement restrictions resulting from the foot and mouth disease outbreak.