§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts concerning measures to stem the decline of bird numbers in the regions of most intensive agriculture. [149829]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 26 January 2004]Discussions regularly cover a large range of issues concerning the environmental impact of agriculture.
484WInformation is shared between administrations as necessary. However, I can assure you that the Government have recognised the seriousness of the decline in farmland birds and has adopted a target to reverse this long-term decline by 2020. Latest statistics show that the index is stabilising.
I am attending an international conference organised by the British Ornithological Union in March, which will be discussing this issue in detail.