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Tir Cymen
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications were received in (a) 1996, (b) 1997 and (c) 1998 from farmers to join Tir Cymen; what area of land they represented; how many were approved; and what area of land they represented. [77858]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: The number of formal applications and the area of land they represented is not readily available. However, over the first five years, 70 per cent. of formal applications concluded in Tir Cymen agreements.
| Year | Number of agreements | Areas of agreements (Ha) |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 174 | 11,955 |
| 1997 | 180 | 8,597 |
| 1998 | 130 | 6,157 |
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the differences between the Tir Cymen scheme and the Countryside Stewardship scheme operated in England. [77859]
22 Mar 1999 : Column: 55
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
The differences between the Tir Cymen Scheme and the Countryside Stewardship Scheme operated in England are as follows:
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total area of land covered by the Tir Cymen scheme; and what is the area covered by the scheme within the less favoured areas and its proportion of the total less favoured area. [77857]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
By the end of March 1998 the total area of land under Tir Cymen agreement was 89,304 ha. As at 31 March 1998 there were 898 Tir Cymen agreements within less favoured areas in Wales which amounts to some 88 per cent. of the total number of Tir Cymen agreements (1,023 agreements).
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a mater for the National Assembly.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total budget allocated to Tir Cymen for each of the last three years [77860]
1. Countryside Stewardship applies not to the whole farm but to specified eligible landscapes, habitats and features.
In Tir Cymen there is a whole farm code which applies to the entire holding. In addition to this, specific habitats and features on the holding must be managed according to the scheme prescriptions.
2. Countryside Stewardship is a MAFF grant scheme whilst Tir Cymen is an experimental whole farm scheme administered by the Countryside Council for Wales.
3. Countryside Stewardship applies to all of England whilst Tir Cymen applies only to three districts in Wales.
4. Any land manager can apply for a Countryside Stewardship agreement (including local authorities and voluntary bodies). Anyone responsible for a registered farm holding could apply for Tir Cymen.
5. Farms applying for Tir Cymen must meet the qualifying criterion which is that revenue for habitats and permissive paths must amount to a minimum of 10 per cent. of the total revenue payment that the farmer would receive through the scheme. Thus, if the farm area is such that the payment in relation to the whole farm code is £2,000 per annum, then the specific habitat management requirements would have to amount to at least £220 (ie, 10 per cent. of the total of (£2,200).
6. Public Access is not a requirement of Countryside Stewardships. Under Tir Cymen there is an obligation to permit access for the purpose of walking and quiet enjoyment of the countryside, at no charge, on all land which is moorland, heathland, and unenclosed, unimproved upland grassland. Tir Cymen expects agreement holders to fulfil their legal duty to keep existing public rights of way free from obstruction.
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| Year | Total Expenditure |
| 1996-97 | 5.3 |
| 1997-98 | 5.7 |
| 1998-99 | 6.2 |
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
22 Mar 1999 : Column: 56
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Green Transport Plan
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what involvement fleet managers have had in drawing up his Department's Green Transport Plan. [77966]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The DfEE and Employment Service fleet managers have been fully involved in the development of Green Transport Plans.
Departmental Budget
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was his Department's budget in cash terms and at 1998-99 prices for (a) 1992-93 to 1998-99 and (b) his estimate for 1999-2000 to 2001-02. [77332]
Mr. Mudie: The figures are set out in the following table.
| £ million | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Cash | Real terms at 1998-99 prices |
| 1992-93 | 10,677 | 12,390 |
| 1993-94 | 13,378 | 15,123 |
| 1994-95 | 13,988 | 15,590 |
| 1995-96 | 13,981 | 15,141 |
| 1996-97 | 14,009 | 14,718 |
| 1997-98 | 14,533 | 14,896 |
| 1998-90 | 14,562 | 14,562 |
| 1999-00 | 15,702 | 15,319 |
| 2000-01 | 17,531 | 16,692 |
| 2001-02 | 18,916 | 17,565 |
Notes:
1. Figures are DfEE's Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) and include both OFSTED and the Employment Service. Figures do not include expenditure on the welfare to work programme financed through the windfall tax, which is classified under a separate DEL. Figures also do not include spending by local authorities. Figures for 1992-93 to 1997-98 are outturn. Figure for 1998-99 is estimated outturn. Figures for 1999-00 to 2001-02 are plans.
2. According to Government accounting conventions, the figures include the recource accounting costs of student loans rather than the cash outlay costs.
3. Figure for 1997-98 includes £527m (cash) transferred from local authorities for the nursery voucher scheme. Figure for 1992-93 does not include funding for further education, which was transferred from local to central government from 1993-94 onwards.
British Lecturers (Italy)
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action he has taken to ensure the right of establishment of British lecturers at Italian universities; and if he will make a statement. [77128]
Mr. Wilson: I have been asked to reply.
Mother-tongue foreign language teachers in Italian universities ("lettori"), most of whom are non-Italian nationals, are campaigning for recognition of their right under the Treaty of Rome to equality of employment conditions with their Italian colleagues in other disciplines.
22 Mar 1999 : Column: 57
The UK Government have been pursuing this issue with the European Commission and the Italian Government. My noble Friend the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe, whose responsibilities include completion of the Single Market, has written to Minister Letta, his Italian counterpart, to press for an early resolution of the problem. He also urged Minister Letta to ensure that individual university Rectors were aware of their obligation to respect the lettori's acquired rights under the Treaty of Rome. Our Embassy in Rome is currently following up this letter with the Italian authorities.
My noble Friend also wrote to Commissioner Flynn, supporting the infraction proceedings which the European Commission is currently bringing against the Italian authorities in respect of this issue. He received in return Mr. Flynn's assurance that he was fully committed to pursuing the matter.
The Government are committed to making the Single Market work, as much for individual citizens as for business. We will do all we can to help bring about a satisfactory solution to the problems faced by the lettori.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 26 January 1999, Official Report, column 212, on common foreign and security policy working groups, if he will list the proposals currently under discussion under each subject heading. [76360]
Ms Quin:
The common foreign and security policy working groups meet on average once a month. The agenda for each working group meeting is wide ranging, covering current issues of concern in the group's area of interest. For example, there were 16 items for discussion on the agenda of the Africa working group this month.
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