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Entry-Level Stewardship Scheme

Volume 456: debated on Tuesday 6 February 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to review the effectiveness of the entry-level stewardship scheme, with particular reference to progress towards the target to reverse the decline in farmland bird numbers by 2020. (118268)

[holding answer 2 February 2007]: Entry-level stewardship (ELS) is one of a number of measures aimed at helping to meet our target of reversing the decline in farmland birds by 2020. ELS agreements are intended to run for five years, and the first agreements only began in August 2005. We are planning to look at progress in the course of this year. Work has already been commissioned on evaluating evidence to date and a report is due this spring. Plans for taking the review forward are still under consideration and will need to take account of this.