HC Deb 16 September 2004 vol 424 cc1665-6WS
Bob Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the farms in Essex which are predominantly(a) dairy and(b) cattle and sheep. [188726]

Alun Michael

As at the June 2003 Agricultural Census there were 33 holdings that were predominantly dairy and 396 that were predominantly cattle and sheep in Essex.

These figures include the unitary authorities of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea. The Agricultural Statistics Act 1979 prevents the disclosure of the addresses of these holdings.

Bob Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assistance will be offered to farmers who have suffered crop loss and crop value loss owing to weather conditions during harvest this year; and if she will make a statement. [187970]

Alun Michael

It is clear that there have been difficulties during one of the wettest harvest periods on record, particularly in some parts of the country. Defra officials had a detailed meeting with representatives of the NFU on 1 September where it was agreed that the position is still evolving and it would not be possible to establish an overall position for another 10 to 14 days. Until there is a fuller picture, it is not clear whether any measures to alleviate the situation would be warranted. Follow-up meetings are planned between my officials and industry representatives to discuss the issue.

Mr. Liddell-Grainger

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the single farm payment on(a) dairy farmers,(b) cattle farmers and(c) sheep farmers in farms located within land designated as (i) moorland within the upland severely disadvantaged area and (ii) other land within the upland severely disadvantaged area; and if she will make a statement. [186559]

Alun Michael

Defra's assessment of the likely impact of the Single Payment is available on the website at: www.defra.gov.uk/farm/capreform/implementation/docs/webnoterev16.pdf

This includes information concerning the impact on farms of different types and farms within the Less Favoured Areas and I am placing a hard copy of the information in the Library of the House.