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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will set out the timetable for the review of land based English rural development programme agri-environment schemes. [87862] Mr. Meacher: The agri-environment schemes review consists of three phases. The first phase centred on an initial consultation, held between March and May 2002. This asked for views on the existing schemes and explored what people would like to see in future schemes. There were over 130 responses to this consultation, which were analysed in a report produced in July 2002. This is available on the DEFRA website at: http://defraweb/erdp/schemes/landbased/review/ consultnew.htm. The second phase of the review is currently in progress. It consists of two main areas of work: the production of a framework document setting out the future direction of agri-environment schemes, and the development of a pilot scheme to test the proposed entry-level scheme. The framework document was issued for consultation on 16 December 2002, and responses are sought by 28 February 2003. I announced the pilot areas for the entry level scheme on 14 November 2002 and the pilot scheme is due to be launched next spring. The third phase of the review will involve the detailed design and development of the main entry-level scheme and a revised higher-tier scheme, intended to incorporate the best features from both the countryside stewardship and environmentally sensitive areas schemes. It is hoped to complete the review in the summer of 2004, when details of both schemes are sent to the European Commission for approval. The new schemes should open for applications early in 2005.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

87862; 396 c800W;396 c798W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Agriculture Environment protection Sustainable development Rural areas Agri-environment action plan Rural development programme

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk