Soil Action Plan

HC Deb 17 June 2004 vol 422 cc1102-3W

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on support available to help the introduction of the recently announced Soil Action Plan for England. [178201]

Alun Michael

Within Defra the Soil Action Plan currently has the dedicated support of a team of six staff (up from three a year ago and expected to expand a little further), and a research budget of £1.4 million, plus a further £9.7 million which it is estimated is spent on soil related research. The action plan is also supported by other colleagues in the department, and by a coalition of partners across and beyond Government, among whom English Heritage, English Nature and the Environment Agency have taken responsibility for leading particular workstreams.