To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for how many acres of miscanthus grass (a) the South West and (b) Devon are currently in receipt of agricultural subsidies; and how much such subsidies amounted to in each of the last two years. (165184)

[holding answer 19 November 2007]: Grant aid for the costs associated with establishing miscanthus is paid under the energy crops scheme (ECS). The areas of miscanthus receiving grant aid and the amounts paid under ECS in the south west as a whole and Devon specifically in 2006 and 2007 were as follows:

The following table sets out the hectarage of miscanthus on which energy aid is paid in the south west: