To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what money has been given by the European Union to finance environmentally sensitive areas for each year since 1992; and if he will break down the figures for each of the nations of the United Kingdom. [36457]

The following sums were paid by the EU towards the UK's environmentally sensitive areas schemes:

£ thousands
	1 January 1992 to 15 October 1992	16 October 1992 to 15 October 1993	16 October 1993 to 15 October 1994	16 October 1994 to date
England	—	4,150	4,404	9,689
Scotland	217	451	540	513
Wales	414	395	374	582
Northern Ireland	231	271	374	302
Total	862	5,267	5,692	11,086

The ESA schemes are funded under the European agriculture guidance and guarantee fund. As part of the CAP reform, funding for these schemes switched in 1993 from the guidance section of the EAGGF, which reimbursed the UK annually in arrears, to guarantee funding, which funds expenditure in-year. In some cases, therefore, the total reimbursement relates to more than one year's expenditure.