Mrs Peggy Fenner: I can reassure my hon. Friend that we recognise the need to strike the right balance between the interests involved. We adopt a flexible approach to development proposals. We recognise the need to provide more jobs and to improve amenities in areas which are adjacent to towns and villages.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: We have a consultation paper on woodlands policy, and the entire issue is under that sort of review. We examine carefully any proposals involving first-grade agricultural land if we believe that there is other lesser grade land available for the purposes that are envisaged.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: We always have good consultations with our opposite numbers in the Department of the Environment. We are consulted at all stages in the preparation of structure and local plans and on all planning applications for areas of more than 4 hectares if they are not within an agreed development plan. That enables us to ensure that the policy for the protection of agricultural land is taken fully...
Mrs Peggy Fenner: My Department's most recent wages and employment inquiry shows that for the year ending September 1985 the average gross weekly earnings for all whole-time regular hired men aged 20 and over was £129·92.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: Statutory minimum rates are a matter for the independent Agricultural Wages Board, not Ministers. About 86 per cent. of full-time adult male workers earn more than the statutory minimum for the hours worked. It is difficult to make comparisons on the basis that the hon. Gentleman tried, because almost half the whole-time adult male agricultural labour force pay little or no rent for their...
Mrs Peggy Fenner: I must again make the point that the independent Agricultural Wages Board fixes the minimum rate. The board has employer and employee representatives. They take a balance of the argument.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: I readily acknowledge the notable contribution of farm workers to agriculture's good productivity record, but reward for improved productivity is a matter to be negotiated between the employer and the employee. Many of them do this.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: I am aware that negotiations on this claim are due to start soon, but it is not for Ministers to try to influence those negotiations, because there is an independent Agricultural Wages Board.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: I reiterate, the Agricultural Wages Board is an independent body.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: Information on damage to SSSIs is collected by the Nature Conservancy Council and published in its annual report.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: Yes, indeed. Government policy on conservation is founded on the voluntary approach. Generally speaking this works very well with the majority of farmers, who are very conservation conscious. The instances of damage to SSSIs should not be allowed to disguise the fact that most biological SSSIs are receiving protection by the good management of the farmers. It is the farmers, indeed, who are...
Mrs Peggy Fenner: Yes, we do know—
Mrs Peggy Fenner: My hon. Friend asked whether we kept the figures. I pointed out what is accurate, that the Nature Conservancy Council keeps the figures, but, of course, we have read the report. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman can be reassured by the fact that the figures produced in the report were for a period before the Wildlife and Countryside (Amendment) Act 1985, which seeks to close that loophole, came into...
Mrs Peggy Fenner: I would add to my hon. Friend's remarks that recently we introduced a clause into the Agriculture Bill in Committee, which was generally welcomed and which imposes a general duty on Ministers to seek to achieve a reasonable balance between the needs of agriculture and those of the environment. I trust that that will further expand and improve the position.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: I am aware that there are certain plants of inestimable value, including some weeds. If the hon. Gentleman will write to me, I shall look into the matter.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: One of the delights of my job in the Ministry has been the opportunity to visit some of those fine Scottish distilleries, so I welcome this opportunity for a debate on the Scotch whisky industry. The hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) has paid tribute to the industry as well as challenged it, and I wholeheartedly endorse what he has said. The Government fully recognise the importance of this...
Mrs Peggy Fenner: I have made the point that this is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. I have no doubt that the Secretary of State will be aware of the question of balance that has been put by my hon. Friend. As the hon. Member for Gordon will be aware, my hon. and learned Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for corporate and consumer affairs, the hon....
Mrs Peggy Fenner: My hon. Friend puts his point very clearly.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: My right hon. Friend the Minister is advised on such matters by the Food Advisory Committee, which is composed of independent experts. Its reports, and any proposals for legislation, are subject to consultation with all interested parties.
Mrs Peggy Fenner: No. My right hon. Friend made it very clear that we accepted the report of COMA. We have been holding consultations to find the most practical way to implement it. The hon. Gentleman was right to say that we also carried out a consumer survey to assess the needs of consumers in relation to labelling. We are considering all the comments made and hope to bring forward proposals shortly.