Oral answer to question provided on Tuesday, 25 March 2008 in the House of Lords, by Lord Rooker (Labour).

Food: Grain Stocks

Answer: My Lords, I do not know the full figures at present. It was a late decision last year; by and large, farmers had set their cropping plans for this year before the EU announced zero set-aside for one year. Long term, our aim is to abolish set-aside. It was 10 per cent, but not all of it will go back into production. The estimate is that about half of it has gone back into production this year. Do not hold me to the last 10th of a per cent, but about 5 per cent extra land will be for crops. We want to take account of that, but not to lose all the environmental benefits that came from set-aside. However, one has to remember that set-aside was not an environmental measure in the first place, but a production measure. Now that we need more production, it makes sense to question why set-aside is there.

This is an answer to the Oral question asked on Tuesday, 25 March 2008 by Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour).

Question: My Lords, has any estimate been made as to what contribution set-aside can make to resolving the problem?

Secondary information