To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will reverse his decision to exclude disadvantaged land from the hill farm allowance scheme for 2008. (210075)

No. The Hill Farm Allowance will only be paid on land in the ‘Severely Disadvantaged Areas’ (SDA) from 2008. This decision was taken following a public consultation in 2006 on the future of uplands support, in which the majority of respondents on this issue were in favour of restricting the hill farm allowance to the SDA only. Land in the ‘Disadvantaged Areas’ (DA) is generally more accessible, higher grade agricultural land with more options for diversification. The model of the single payment scheme adopted in England will also, over time, tend to favour DA farmers in comparison to those in the SDA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on his Department's funding for the hill farm allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement. (210076)

We receive representations on a range of issues relating to the Hill Farm Allowance, including funding, from various stakeholders. As at 10 June, the Rural Payments Agency had made payments totalling £22.9 million for 2008 Hill Farm Allowance claims.