Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding was awarded under the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme to (a) Westmorland and Lonsdale, (b) Cumbria and (c) North West England; and what the (i) type and (ii) purpose was of the funding provided in each such area.

Three rounds have been run since the scheme was announced in November 2011 and grant funding has been awarded as follows:

a) Westmorland and Lonsdale – 29 projects awarded a total of £232,355;

b) Cumbria – 224 projects awarded a total of £2,256,444;

c) North west England - 739 projects awarded a total of £7,007,954.

The scheme provides small capital grants between £2,500 and £35,000 to farmers, foresters and horticultural businesses to improve their competitiveness. The scheme aims to help businesses become more profitable and resilient, while reducing the impact of farming on the environment, by using resources more efficiently. Funding is awarded to individual projects; as such, the purpose of the funding in each area will vary from project to project.