§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answer by the Lord Whitty on 28 April (HL Deb, col. 770) that most traditional orchards are already under countryside stewardship schemes, what is their response to the estimate of the local authority that less than 30 per cent of traditional orchards in Somerset are in such schemes. [HL3146]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)My earlier Answer was based on the land area described as "non-commercial orchard" in the June 2003 Agricultural Census. In England there were 3,465 ha of such land of which 2,408 ha are currently being managed as "traditional orchard" under the Countryside Stewardship scheme. Within Somerset, the census showed 193 ha of non-commercial orchard of which 170 ha (88 per cent) are within the scheme. We hope to encourage further areas of traditional orchards to join our new Environmental Stewardship scheme which, subject to EU approval, will be introduced next year.
§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they intend to seek a derogation for traditional orchards so that they do not have to comply with the "permanent crops" rules under the single farm payment. [HL3147]
§ Lord WhittyUnder Commission guidance relating to existing schemes, grazing land within orchards may qualify for payments subject to certain conditions. This recognises the conservation value of traditional orchards.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in discussion with English Nature, is drawing up a proposal to put to the Commission for the current guidance to continue for the new scheme.