§ Mr. Iain Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria are used in determining the granting of subsidies to farmers with hill farms or marginal land other than the defined areas of qualification.
§ Mr. WigginIn designated areas, consisting predominantly of mountains, hills or heath suitable mainly for extensive livestock production, hill livestock compensatory allowances (HLCAs) are paid on breeding cows and breeding ewes. Higher rates of grant under the capital grant schemes, and assistance towards the purchase of machinery and tractors by forage groups, are also available.
To qualify for HLCAs the land on which the animals are kept must not be less than 3 hectares. Under one of the capital grant schemes, the agriculture and horticulture grant scheme, eligibility for the higher rates of assistance requires the income per labour unit to be less than the comparable outside level. For grant under the agricultural and horticultural co-operation scheme, a forage group must consist of at least three farmers whose land is wholly or mainly in the less-favoured areas and who produce crops traditionally used for the bulk feed of livestock.