§ Mr. Peter Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, as a result of the recently announced 360W increase in the statutory minimum wage of agricultural workers, he proposes to raise the present minimum income requirement for grant on buildings under the Farm Capital Grant Scheme.
§ Mr. PriorYes. It has been decided to raise the minimum annual income figure, which a farm business should be capable of yielding after improvement, from the present figure of £880 given in paragraph 7 of the Ministry's leaflet CG1 to £960. This increase will apply to applications received on and after 1st March, 1972. It is understood that a similar increase will be applied in Scotland from the same date. In Northern Ireland the minimum will continue to be equivalent to the statutory minimum agricultural wage in that country.