Farmers/crofters only have to set land aside if they have Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFPS) set-aside entitlements and they wish to receive payment on them. To receive full payment on their set-aside entitlements they must set aside one hectare of eligible land for each set-aside entitlement they hold. Set-aside land is any agricultural area of the holding taken up by arable land, except areas which on 15 May 2003 were under permanent crops, forests, or used for non-agricultural activities or under permanent pasture.

But, due to the low levels of stocks of cereals both at community and world level, the subsequent high prices during 2007, and concern over maintaining the level of future stocks of cereals, the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council approved a derogation proposed by the European Commission to reduce set-aside to zero for autumn 2007 and spring 2008 sowings. As a result, farmers/crofters with SFPS set-aside entitlements were not required to take land out of production in order to receive payment under the scheme in 2008. They could, however, still set land aside on a voluntary basis.

Farmers/crofters who set land aside on a voluntary basis in 2008 had to manage the land in line with the set-aside management rules. These rules prohibit agricultural production and place restrictions on the management of the green cover during the set-aside period 15 January to 31 August 2008. Full details of the set-aside rules are available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/10/20108/45382.

The figures shown in S3W-16043 detail the set-aside land claimed on the area aid application 2003 and 2004 to support claims submitted under the arable area payments scheme and the set-aside land claimed on the single application form to claim payment on the set-aside entitlements allocated under the single farm payment scheme.

The figures shown in S3W-16044 are from the June agricultural census (JAC). And are generally higher than the land claimed for subsidy because the JAC figures can include land that has been voluntarily set-aside and is not subject to support scheme rules.

Set-aside was introduced in 1992 as a tool for reducing surplus production in the arable sector, to permit better management of the market. Since then the Common Agricultural Policy has undergone significant changes which have largely removed the problem of surplus arable production. In addition to this primary function, set‘aside has also produced environmental benefits.

Land use decisions are a matter for individual land managers. Set-aside requirements have been suspended for 2008. If they are abolished as part of the EU''s Common Agricultural Policy Health Check, then it is to be expected that arable land previously used for set-aside will be brought into or remain in production.

The Scottish Government took over management of the franchise in October 2005, and therefore Transport Scotland does not hold this information.

The Scottish Government took over management of the franchise in October 2005, and therefore Transport Scotland does not hold this information.

Emissions estimates are not produced for the specific categories requested.

However, carbon emissions from all sources, including road and rail transport, are published annually in Greenhouse Gas Inventories for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The most recent publication covers emissions between 1990 and 2006, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46558).

The UK Government''s Department for Transport''s Carbon Pathways Analysis: Informing Development of a Carbon Reduction Strategy for the Transport Sector, published in July 2008, provides information on CO₂ emissions per passenger kilometre, by mode across the UK. These figures, found on pages 83 to 84 of the document, can be used to derive average emissions per passenger mile.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/analysis.pdf.

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The Rural Payments and Inspection Directorate do not hold details on set-aside land in the format asked for. However, to be as helpful as possible they have provided details of the land claimed as set-aside in Scotland under the Integrated Administration and Control System in the last five years (2003 to 2007 inclusive) to support subsidy claims.

	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Area Claimed as Set-Aside (Hectares)	93,590	71,706	62,021	60,657	57,922

 

The following table shows the area and proportion of arable land designated as set-aside in Scotland in each year from 2003 to 2007.

Year	Set Aside (Ha)	Arable land (Ha)	Proportion Set Aside
2003	90,684	959,739	9.4%
2004	75,117	960,849	7.8%
2005	69,492	938,051	7.4%
2006	67,549	921,828	7.3%
2007	67,933	922,194	7.4%

Source: June Agricultural Census.

Notes:

1. Arable land includes tilled area and grass under five years old

2. Set-aside figures from the June agricultural census are higher than set-aside areas claimed under the Single Farm Payments Scheme from 2005.

3. Provisional results from the 2008 June agricultural census are scheduled for release on 24 September 2008.