HC Deb 11 November 2003 vol 413 c175W
Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will publish her Department's assessment of the impact on farm business sectors of different options for decoupling; [135351]

(2) what assessment she has made of the relative impact on unsupported livestock farmers of decoupling using (a) regional average and (b) historic methodology. [135355]

Margaret Beckett

A copy of such an assessment made by economists in Defra has been placed in the Library of the House. The assessment was placed on the Department's website on 16 October and copies have been sent to some stakeholders.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultations she has had with(a) deer, (b) bison and (c) other unsupported livestock producers about the impact of Common Agricultural Policy reform on their businesses. [135354]

Margaret Beckett

A public consultation was launched on 22 July in England on the CAP reform agreement, seeking views on various options available to member states in implementing the new system. Consultation responses have been received from the British Bison Association, a deer farmer in North Devon and organisations concerned with the welfare of livestock including unsupported species. In previous consultation rounds responses were received from a deer farm in Fife and the British Deer Farmers' Association.

The Farm Animal Welfare Council is one of the Department's key stakeholders on CAP reform and is a member of my noble Friend the Lord Whitty's stakeholder group.

Separate consultations are being undertaken by the Departments responsible for agricultural policy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.