I am grateful for those comments. Understandably, I agree entirely with my next-door neighbour.

There is great worry among local farmers about what genetically modified crops mean for them. I had a meeting with farmers at which that view was put forcefully. They do not want to be left standing in the middle when the music stops, as happened with BSE. They regard GM crops not as a future saviour, as Monsanto would have us believe, but as a threat, problem and nuisance. That is not to say that there are no potential benefits, but farmers have significant worries, including the liability issue. I hope that the Minister takes that on board.

The overarching problem is the strong pound, which disadvantages exports from the farming community, exacerbated by the crisis in the far east and Russia and the collapse of some of our export markets. I hope that the Minister will be able to answer my specific questions and that he will write to me in reply to those that he cannot answer tonight. The Government are trying to do their best for farmers in East Sussex and elsewhere, but there are significant problems that require the Government to move up a step in gear.