Written question asked by David Drew (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 April 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 26 April 2007. It was answered by Barry Gardiner (Labour) on Tuesday, 8 May 2007 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Agriculture: Environment Protection

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he plans to take to enable those in receipt of environmentally sensitive area payments and countryside stewardship to transfer to the higher level scheme of the single farm payment.

Answer: The Rural Development budget for the period 2007-13 more than doubles the funding available for agri-environment schemes.Delivery of these schemes is the responsibility of Natural England. The Higher Level Scheme is a targeted scheme designed for those high value habitats which require complex management which can deliver significant environmental outcomes. Within a national framework, the targeting is defined at a regional level through 159 Joint Character Areas. Each area has priority targets for the management of features in that local area.During the last year of their existing agreements, holders are contacted by Natural England, in relation to the options available. The Higher Level Scheme is a competitive scheme and not all existing ESA and CS agreements will be suitable for the scheme. For some, the Entry Level Scheme may be more appropriate.Our planned review of progress of Environmental Stewardship this year will include the transfer of expiring agreements into Environmental Stewardship to ensure that the environmental investment made over the last 20 years of agri-environment schemes is not lost.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 134340; 460 c28-9W;460 c29W
Session: 2006-07
Subjects: Agriculture Environment protection Subsidies Environmentally sensitive areas
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk