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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 31 January 1992
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Gulf War
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further assistance is envisaged for the Kurds and Shias, and Iraqi citizens who have been materially affected by the Gulf war.
Mrs. Chalker : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 20 January at column 15.
Sipho Mbeje
Mr. Sedgemore : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has made any representations to the Zambian Government about human rights abuses in relation to Sipho Mbeje ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : I understand that the Zambian authorities are detaining Mr. Mbeje at Lusaka central prison pending his deportation. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is pursuing the question of where he may obtain asylum.
Meanwhile our high commission in Lusaka raised Mr. Mbeje's case on 9 December with the UNHCR, who advised that there was no immediate cause for concern about his condition. The high commission will continue to monitor his case.
ENVIRONMENT
Richmond Borough Council
Mr. Jessel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out figures for the last five financial years including the current year, and the projected figures for next year for Government grant to the Richmond upon Thames borough council both on capital and current account.
Mr. Key : The available information is as follows :
Government grants to Richmond-on-Thames
borough council
|Revenue |Capital
£ million |£ million
----------------------------------------
1987-88 |<1>24.82 |0.21
1988-89 |<1>21.45 |n.a.
1989-90 |<1>22.87 |0.84
Projected figures
|Revenue |Capital
£ million |£ million
-----------------------------------------
<2>1990-91 |<3>63.82 |1.41
1991-92 |<4>91.40 |<5>0.45
1992-93 |<6>91.90 |n.a.
<1> Revenue grants comprise rate support
grant, relevant specific and
supplementary grants taken to revenue,
transport supplementary grant taken to
revenue and rate rebate grants.
<2> The new local government finance
system was introduced in 1990, and
figures for 1990-91 and 1991-92 are not
comparable for those before 1990.
<3> Comprises revenue support grant
after safety net, national non-domestic
rate entitlement, specific grants within
AEF, community charge benefit and
transitional relief grant.
<4> Comprises revenue support grant,
national non-domestic rate entitlement,
specific grants within AEF, community
charge benefit, community charge
reduction scheme grant and community
charges (general reduction) grant.
<5> Local authority forecast.
<6> Comprises revenue support grant (
which in 1992-93 includes community
charge grant) and national non-domestic
rate entitlements only. No estimates are
available for remaining grants.
Menwith Hill Station
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment the National Rivers Authority has undertaken of the possible pollution dangers from the presence of Forest Moor naval communications and Menwith Hill station.
Mr. Baldry : I understand that a gas oil spillage from the complex occurred earlier this month causing pollution of a nearby stream. The NRA undertook containment and clean up works to prevent further pollution. Improvement works will be carried out on site to prevent a recurrence. Discharges of sewage effluent from both sites are routinely sampled by the NRA and the results are available to the public.
Diesel Cars
Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information is available to him on the environmental and health effects of the diesel-powered car ; what evidence, including medical reports and any experimentation, this information is based upon ; for how long and by whom any research has been conducted ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : I refer my hon. Friend to the 15th report of the Royal Commisson on environmental pollution : "Emissions from Heavy Duty Diesel Vehicles" (Cm 1631), published in September 1991. Paragraphs 2.26 and following give a useful summary, with references, of the evidence on the environmental and health effects of diesel emissions. In general, this is relevant to emissions from diesel-powered cars as well as heavy vehicles.
Water Pollution
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions diesel oil has entered (a) Swinsty reservoir in north Yorkshire or (b) the Leeds water supply during the last three years.
Mr. Baldry : I am not aware of any occasion on which diesel oil has entered either the Swinsty reservoir or the Leeds water supply during the last three years.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Long-stay Prisoners
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of prison inmates in prisons in England and Wales who have served a continuous prison sentence of over 20 years, over 25 years and over 30 years.
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Mrs. Rumbold : The latest available information is given in the table.
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Inmates<1> of Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on 30 November 1991 who had spent a continuous period
of more than 20
years in such establishments under sentence: by time spent under sentence.
Number of prisoners
Time under sentence
|Over 20 up to|Over 25 up to|Over 30 years|Over 20 years
|25 years |30 years
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Received under original sentence |64 |14 |5 |83
Recalled following an earlier release on licence |- |- |<2>1 |1
<1> The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate; detailed checking of individual cases would involve
disproportionate cost.
<2> Time served since recall from licence.
Neighbourhood Watch, South Yorkshire
Mr. Patchett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes operate in south Yorkshire.
Mr. John Patten : At present there are 1,425 neighbourhood watch schemes in operation in south Yorkshire covering aproximately 75,000 households.
Beef
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the countries from where beef was purchased for consumption in prisons in 1991 and in each case, including the United Kingdom, give the quantity bought and amount spent ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : During 1990, the quantity of beef purchased for consumption in prisons in England and Wales was approximately :
|£ million|Tons
---------------------------------------------
United Kingdom |1.14 |675
Eire |0.06 |35
Information for year ending 31 December 1991 is not available.
DNA Profiles
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 403, if he will state which of the police forces in England and Wales currently comply with guidelines adopted by the Home Office and Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Services on the destruction of DNA profiles of persons excluded from or acquitted of offences ; which police forces in England and Wales remove such profiles from their own databases ; which do not ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Apart from the Home Office and Metropolitan police forensic science services, I am not aware of any police force in England and Wales which has developed, or is intending to develop, a database to hold DNA profiles.
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Sipho Mbeje
Mr. Sedgemore : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make a decision on the request made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Lusaka that Sipho Mbeje should be granted an entry visa to come to the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Mr. Mbeje's application is under consideration and a decision will be reached as soon as possible.
Ecstasy
Mr. Rathbone : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many seizures of ecstasy and other similar drugs have been made in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 17 January 1992] : The number of seizures of MDMA--"Ecstasy"--MDA, amphetamines and LSD for 1990 and 1991 were as shown in the table.
Figures for police seizures in 1991 are incomplete. They represent those so far reported to the Home Office and do not include seizures made towards the end of the year.
United Kingdom
Number of seizures
1990 1991
|Police |Customs |Police<1>|Customs
-----------------------------------------------------------------
MDMA (Ecstasy) |374 |25 |812 |49
MDA |17 |0 |113 |1
Amphetamines |4,489 |139 |2,183 |108
LSD |1,772 |87 |917 |99
<1> Incomplete, some seizures from the second half of 1991 not
yet reported.
PRIME MINISTER
Departmental Management
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list (i) for those Departments with a financial management initiative management system (a) the name in each case, (b) when it was established and (c) the name of the Minister who
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has direct supervision of the system ; and (ii) those Departments which do not have a financial management initiative management system.Mr. MacGregor : I have been asked to reply.
This information is not held centrally and the question should be addressed to individual Ministers.
Western Sahara
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Prime Minister whether he intends to discuss the future status of the western Sahara during his forthcoming meeting at the United Nations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. MacGregor : I have been asked to reply.
The subject may arise in discussion in the margins of the special meeting of the United Nations Security Council, but there is unlikely to be time for any detailed discussions of regional issues at the meeting itself.
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy at the forthcoming special meeting of the United Nations permanent members of the Security Council on proliferation (a) to establish agreed criteria for the completion of a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty, (b) to urge President Mitterrand to finalise French membership of the nuclear non- proliferation treaty and to halt nuclear testing in the Polynesian islands in the Pacific and (c) to establish the basis for the United Kingdom to fulfil its obligations under article VI of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty to negotiate nuclear disarmament with other treaty signatory states.
Mr. MacGregor : I have been asked to reply. The main purpose of today's special meeting of the UN Security Council is to reaffirm the importance of the UN's role in maintaining international peace and security. This may include discussion of arms control agreements. However, we have no plans to raise the issues referred to in the question.
Tax (Wales)
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Prime Minister what is the total tax paid by the people of Wales, including to local councils ; what is the total expenditure from that taxation in Wales by Government, local councils and all other bodies so financed including the relevant proportion for Wales of any expenditure on a wider basis ; and what these figures are per head of the Welsh population.
Mr. Mellor : I have been asked to reply. Information on the total tax paid by people in Wales is not available. Information is, for example, not available for capital gains tax. Data is available on income tax payments and the latest information, which relates to 1988-89, is given in table 2.10 of the 1991 issue of Inland Revenue Statistics. Precise figures for receipts from indirect tax payments paid by people in Wales are not available but it is estimated that the Welsh share of United Kingdom taxes collected by HM Customs and Excise in 1990-91 was about £2 billion. The latest information on community charge and non-domestic rate payments indicates that at 31 March 1991 local authorities had received an estimated £360 million (£125 per head) in community charges for 1990-91
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and that payments of non-domestic rates by businesses for 1990-91 were an estimated £430 million (£150 per head) at the same date. Information on general government expenditure in Wales in 1990-91, other than that incurred for the benefit of the UK as a whole, is given in tables E6a and E6b of appendix E of the statistical supplement to the 1991 Autumn Statement (Cm. 1920).EMPLOYMENT
Industrial Tribunals
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total waiting list of cases for industrial tribunal hearing in the Newcastle upon Tyne office on 1 January ; what number and percentage of cases waiting less than six weeks, less than eight weeks, less than 10 weeks, less than 12 weeks, less than 16 weeks, less than 20 weeks and less than 26 weeks ; and what the maximum waiting time was at 1 January.
Mr. Forth : I regret that the information on waiting times is not available in precisely the form requested. The figures show those cases in the Newcastle area which have been registered but which had not come to hearing by 29 January 1992.
|Number |Percentage
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 6 weeks |196 |12.9
More than 6 weeks-less than 8 weeks |97 |6.4
More than 8 weeks-less than 10 weeks |77 |5.1
More than 10 weeks-less than 12 weeks |113 |7.4
More than 12 weeks-less than 16 weeks |141 |9.3
More than 16 weeks-less than 20 weeks |138 |9.1
More than 20 weeks-less than 26 weeks |123 |8.1
More than 26 weeks |633 |41.7
|-------
Total |1,518
The maximum waiting time was 39 weeks, unless the parties requested a later hearing date.
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he has taken or is taking to reduce the waiting times for industrial tribunals in the Newcastle upon Tyne area.
Mr. Forth : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has increased the budget for the industrial tribunals in England and Wales by over £2 million in the current financial year. This has enabled additional administrative staff and tribunal chairmen to be appointed in the Newcastle region, and there has been a substantial increase in the number of tribunal hearings. Measures are also being taken to improve efficiency.
Employee Training
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce a requirement for companies to publish information on their policy on employee training.
Mr. Jackson : The investors in people initiative already requires companies seeking the award to make a public commitment to training and developing their employees.
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Labour Costs
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the change in unit labour costs in the United Kingdom since the October 1990 exchange rate mechanism entry, and what are the corresponding figures in Germany, and the average in all the ERM member countries.
Mr. Forth : Between October 1990 and September 1991 unit wage and salary costs in manufacturing in the United Kingdom rose by 4.5 per cent. compared with an increase in Germany over the same period of 7.3 per cent. Data are not available to give the corresponding average in all the ERM member countries.
Self-employment
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the change, in numerical and percentage terms, in the number of self- employed people in (a) Scotland and (b) Great Britain between 1979 and the latest year for which figures are available ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : The information is as follows :
Self-employed
Change between June 1979 and June 1990
|Actual |per cent.
|(000's)
--------------------------------------------
Scotland |74 |46
Great Britain |1,380 |75
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the percentage of self-employed people in the work forces of member states of the European Community ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : The information is given in the table.
Self-employed as a percentage of the civilian
work force
|1989
|(mid year)
|per cent.
--------------------------------------------------
Belgium |13.0
Denmark |8.5
Federal Republic of Germany |10.2
France |13.6
Greece |<1>32.5
Ireland |<1>18.8
Italy |21.8
Luxembourg |9.7
Netherlands |8.8
Portugal |28.2
Spain |17.9
United Kingdom |<2>11.6
<1> Figures are for 1988, latest available.
<2> The latest available figure (June 1990) is
11.7 per cent.
Source: OECD Labour Force Statistics 1969 to 1989
except United Kingdom (ED).
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Labour Statistics
Mr. Irvine : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unemployed people in (a) the Ipswich travel-to-work area and (b) the Ipswich parliamentary constituency at the latest available date ; and what were the equivalent figures five and eight years ago, respectively.
Mr. Jackson : The requested information is contained in the following table and can also be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.
Unemployed claimants (not seasonally adjusted)
|Ipswich |Ipswich
|Travel-to-work|Parliamentary
|area |constituency
------------------------------------------------------------
December 1991 |7,600 |3,712
December 1986 |8,345 |4,189
December 1983 |8,084 |4,055
Direct comparisons are affected by the changes in the coverage of the count that have occurred over the period.
Mr. Stephen : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were self-employed in (a) Aberdeen, (b) Kincardine and Deeside, (c) Scotland and (d) the United Kingdom, in each year from 1987 to date.
Mr. Forth : Estimates of the numbers of people who are self-employed are not available for areas smaller than standard regions for the dates specified. The available figures for Scotland and the United Kingdom are as follows :
Self-employed (thousands)
|Scotland |United Kingdom
------------------------------------------------------------
June 1987 |194 |2,869
June 1988 |215 |2,998
June 1989 |236 |3,253
June 1990 |234 |3,298
NORTHERN IRELAND
Terrorism
Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the number of persons killed in Northern Ireland as a result of the security situation since 1988 to the present day distinguishing between (a) the RUC, (b) the RUCR, (c) the Army, (d) the UDR, and (e) civilians.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information requested is set out in the table :
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Deaths in Northern Ireland as a result of the security situation
Year RUC RUCR Army Civilians<1Total
|(excluding|UDR
|UDR)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1988 |4 |2 |21 |12 |54 |93
1989 |7 |2 |12 |2 |39 |62
1990 |7 |5 |7 |8 |49 |76
1991 |5 |1 |5 |8 |75 |94
<2>1992 |- |- |- |- |14 |14
<1> Category includes suspected terrorists.
<2> As at 30 January.
Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the increase or decrease in the number of persons charged with terrorist offences in Northern Ireland each year since 1985.
Dr. Mawhinney : Set out are the number of persons charged with terrorist offences for each year since 1985 :
Persons charged with terrorist offences Year |Number --------------------- 1985 |522 1986 |655 1987 |468 1988 |439 1989 |433 1990 |380 1991 |<1>397 <1>provisional figure. Notes: 1. Statistics on charges are kept according to the most serious offence with which an individual has been charged. 2. If the same individual is charged on more than one occasion, he/she will be added to the statistics each time.
Heart Surgery
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the projected figures for those awaiting coronary artery by-pass surgery in Northern Ireland for (a) January 1993 and (b) January 1994, allowing for the arrival of a fourth cardiac surgeon commencing on 1 April 1992.
Mr. Hanley : These figures cannot be calculated accurately for a number of reasons. The numbers waiting at January 1993 and January 1994 will be influenced by a number of different factors : (
(a) the ability of the Royal Victoria hospital cardiac surgery unit to increase the number of operations carried out there ;
(b) the number of by-passes purchased for residents of Northern Ireland by the four health and social services boards from hospitals in the rest of the United Kingdom and ;
(c) the impact of the waiting time guarantee which will be included in the citizens charter shortly to be launched in Northern Ireland. Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons the target of 1,100 cardiac operations per year in Northern Ireland has not been achieved ; and if he will indicate (a) when it will be achieved and (b) what plans he has to review that figure.
Mr. Hanley : The target of 1,100 cardiac operations per year was the figure recommended by Sir John Badenoch in his 1988 report as necessary to meet the Province's need for cardiac operations. Attainment of that figure has not been possible because of physical and staffing constraints at the Royal Victoria hospital. Additional cardiac recovery facilities have now been provided and the cardiac theatres have been upgraded. However, the Eastern health and social services board has experienced considerable difficulties in recruiting an additional cardiac surgeon. I understand a locum cardiac surgeon has been appointed for one year and is expected to take up post on 1 May 1992. It is not possible at this stage to say when the figure of 1,100 operations will be reached but it will include cardiac operations purchased for Northern Ireland
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residents from centres other than the RVH. The figure will be regularly reviewed by the Department of Health and Social Services in the light of assessed need and the latest developments in medical technology.Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients are awaiting their first appointment with a cardiac surgeon for assessment as to whether they are in need of cardiac surgery ; and if these patients are counted as being on the waiting list for surgery.
Mr. Hanley : The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what official statements have been made by health board staff concerning the relative benefits of coronary artery by-pass surgery as to (a) improving the quality of life and (b) increasing the lifespan of patients.
Mr. Hanley : I am not aware of any official statements by health board staff in Northern Ireland on this subject.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients are currently on the waiting list for (a) cardiac surgery and (b) cataract operations at the Royal Victoria hospital ; how long they have been waiting ; and what were the comparable figures for January 1987.
Mr. Hanley : At 30 September 1991 the latest date for which waiting list information is available centrally, there were 991 patients on the cardiac surgery in-patient waiting list at the Royal Victoria hospital. I have set out the details of how long they have been waiting. Figures for 30 September 1986 (the closest date to January 1987 for which data are comparable) are also shown. The time bands are slightly different due to a change in the recording of waiting list data from 1 April 1988. The information requested on cataract operations is not available centrally.
Patients waiting for
admission by time waiting
at 30 September
Months |Patients
---------------------------
19911
0-2 |125
6-8 |78
9-11 |68
12-23 |168
24+ |471
|-------
Total |991
1986
0-2 |2
3-5 |4
6-11 |8
12-23 |51
24+ |342
|-------
Total |407
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the latest figure for those awaiting coronary artery by-pass surgery in Northern Ireland ; and what was the figure in January 1991.
Mr. Hanley : I am advised by the Eastern health and social services board that at 30 November 1991 the latest
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date for which figures are available, there were 758 people in Northern Ireland waiting for coronary artery by-pass surgery. The information for January 1991 is not available.Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to ensure that the necessary numbers of trained staff, backed by sufficient funds for their employment, will be made available to support a fourth cardiac surgeon in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Hanley : The funds for the recruitment of the necessary supporting staff have been made available to the Eastern health and social services board by the Department of Health and Social Services. Their appointment is a matter for the board.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the health boards have for purchasing additional operations outside Northern Ireland ; and what safeguards will be incorporated to ensure quality and a smooth handover for follow-up care within Northern Ireland.
Mr. Hanley : The Western health and social services board has already contracted to purchase a number of cardiac surgery operations in hospitals in Great Britain. The Eastern health and social services board is planning to do so shortly. Detailed safeguards to ensure quality care for patients while in hospital in Great Britain are incorporated in the contracts and arrangements are being made to ensure continuity of care when they return to Northern Ireland.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what evidence he has that physicians and cardiologists are not referring patients for coronary artery by-pass surgery due to the low possibility that the patient would be offered cardiac surgery within a time scale of two years.
Mr. Hanley : I have no evidence to support the hon. Gentleman's suggestion.
Prison Sentences
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern ireland if he will list in the Official Report the prison sentences served by (a) Kevin McKenna, (b) Brian Gillen and (c) Gerald Kelly, indicating the changes against each and the crimes for which they were found guilty and at which courts the charges were brought.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 27 January 1992] : It would not be appropriate to give the information requested.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Environmentally Sensitive Areas
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the proportion of costs for the environmentally sensitive areas scheme which is devoted to administration (a) in 1991 and (b) when the environmentally sensitive areas extensions and new environmentally sensitive areas are in operation ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Gummer : Administration costs, including monitoring to assess the environmental impact of the environmentally sensitive areas scheme, currently amount to approximately 25 per cent. of the total costs. For the future my objective is to reduce these costs while maintaining the advisory role of project officers and their associated work in securing the environmental objectives of the scheme.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list (a) the hectarage and (b) the amount of money allocated to Pennine Dales ESA in (i) 1991-92 and (ii) when the new conditions will operate ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : The Pennine Dales environmentally sensitive area covers 15,970 hectares which will increase to 46,370 hectares under the new arrangements I recently introduced. Payments in the current financial year are forecast to total approximately £1 million. Future spending in this environmentally sensitive area will depend on the level of uptake but, given the increase in the area and the other changes to the scheme could exceed £3.5 million.
Farm Woodland Scheme
Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his review of the farm woodland scheme.
Mr. Gummer [pursuant to his reply, 19 November 1991, c. 135] : In my previous reply I announced that the main interested organisations were being consulted about detailed proposals for a farm woodland premium scheme (FWPS), to replace the pilot farm woodland scheme (FWS).
The Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland and I have finalised our proposals in the light of comments received from interested organisations. I am, therefore, laying before the House today the draft farm woodland premium scheme 1992 which, subject to parliamentary approval, we propose to introduce on 1 April. This draft statutory instrument applies to Great Britain : the scheme will be introduced in Northern Ireland by separate arrangement.
The new arrangements will offer increased establishment grants and better incentives to encourage farmers to convert land in agricultural use to woodland. They will be very much easier for farmers to understand, and simpler to operate, than under the farm woodland scheme. Our proposals were welcomed in principle by all consultees although a number of detailed points were raised. We have given careful consideration to these points and in particular those mentioned by environmental interests.
The objectives of the FWPS are to encourage planting of woodland by farmers who will remain in farming, thereby enhancing the farmed landscape and environment ; and to encourage a productive alternative land use to agriculture. We intend that the scheme will be environmentally beneficial and we have included a number of safeguards to minimise the risk of environmentally damaging planting. In particular, applications will be subject to environmental and silvilcultural checks by the Forestry Commission and to its consultation arrangements. Also there are limits on planting on unimproved land in the LFAs and the definitions of arable land and improved grassland are designed to ensure that
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