To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total sum of money payable to farmers with cereal set-aside schemes in the United Kingdom in 1989; and what estimate he has made of the amount likely to be paid in the current year.

A total of £9·8 million was paid in the financial year 1989–90 to participants in the first year of the set-aside scheme and a further £22 million has been allocated in the 1990–91 financial year in respect of participants in the second year of the scheme.