Written question asked by Nick Gibb (Conservative) on Monday, 28 April 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 7 May 2003. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Wednesday, 7 May 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, pursuant to her Answer of 14th April 2003, 403 c479-80W, on farm subsidies, what proportion of production-linked subsidy payments have been redirected into rural development measures since 2001.

Answer: Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 14 April 2003, Official Report, columns 479-80W, on farm subsidies, what proportion of production-linked subsidy payments have been redirected into rural development measures since 2001. [110876] Mr. Morley: The Common Agricultural Policy Horizontal Regulation (Reg.1259/99) enables member states to redirect up to 20 per cent. of CAP direct subsidy payments for the purpose of co-financing new expenditure on the so-called `accompanying measures'--essentially, in England, the agri-environment schemes and farm woodlands. The Government's policy of modulating production- based subsidy payments into rural development was first introduced in the UK in 2001 at a relatively low, flat rate of 2.5 per cent. following full consultation. The rate, which under existing legislation will rise progressively to 4.5 per cent. by 2005, rose to 3 per cent. in 2002 and again in 2003 to the current rate of 3.5 per cent.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 110876; 404 c712W;404 c708W
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Agriculture Subsidies Common agricultural policy Rural development programme
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk