§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding is available to assist farmers to diversify into tourism. [8438]
§ Alun MichaelThe main source of funding to assist farmers to diversify into tourism is the Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES), which is a part of the England Rural Development Programme, measures are available in Objective 1 areas. The total RES scheme budget is £152 million for the period 2001–06. Another fund which
Year Introduction of milk quotas. 1984 Introduction of binding agricultural budgetary guidelines limiting the growth of CAP expenditure to 74 per cent. of the growth of the budget. 1988 Structural funds reformed. Quotas extended. Set-aside measures designed to encourage the use of less intensive production techniques and to diversify away from products already in surplus introduced. 1989–91 Introduction of the MacSharry reforms, which cut some support prices, introduced direct income compensation, and made set-aside and other production control measures a central feature of the CAP. 1992 Completion of the Uruguay Round Agricultural Agreement brought agriculture for the first time fully within the multilateral trade mechanism: in that framework, the EU accepted the principle of tariffication (the conversion of all forms of tariff and non-tariff barriers into fixed tariff equivalents, the progressive reduction of tariffs and certain types of domestic farm support, and limits on the volume of subsided exports and the value of export subsidies. 1995 Agenda 2000 package of CAP reforms agreed in Berlin. The package included cereal and beef price reductions, milk prices to be cut and quotas increased and creation of the "2nd pillar", the Rural Development Regulation. When reforms fully implemented (2008), price reductions will reduce annual food bill for family of four of around 2 per cent. 1999 Review of sugar, olive oil, hops and cotton regimes recently completed. Review of rice and sheepmeat regimes on-going. 2001 (b) Responsibility for presenting proposals to reform the CAP rests with the European Commission. We expect proposals to issue next year for a number of key CAP commodity regimes. We will continue to work closely with the Commission and other member states to drive forward the reform agenda to achieve a more economically rational CAP which contributes to the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the industry and rural economy.