Written question asked by Anthony Steen (Conservative) on Friday, 14 November 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 20 November 2003. It was answered by Ben Bradshaw (Labour) on Thursday, 20 November 2003 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to implement changes in agricultural policy to improve the (a) quantity and (b) quality of barn owl habitats away from major roads.

Answer: Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to implement changes in agricultural policy to improve the (a) quantity and (b) quality of barn owl habitats away from major roads. [139766] Mr. Bradshaw: Through our agri-environment schemes we have encouraged farmers to provide many thousands of hectares of grassland habitat, including for example over 20,000 ha of cereal field margins. These less-intensively managed areas are good habitats for small mammals and provide barn owls with somewhere other than roadside verges to hunt their prey.

Secondary information