HC Deb 07 March 1984 vol 55 c617W
Mr. Hordern

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by what criteria marginal land is assessed as eligible for grant.

Mrs. Fenner

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the criteria which have to be met for land to be classified as less-favoured and thereby become eligible for the special system of aids paid in less-favoured areas.

Directive 75/268/EEC on mountain and hill farming and farming in certain less-favoured areas lays down, in article 3, criteria for determining three categories of less-favoured area:

  1. (a) mountain areas;
  2. (b)areas in danger of depopulation and where the conservation of the countryside is necessary, which comprise infertile land, mainly suitable for extensive livestock farming, produce below average results and have a population predominantly dependent on agriculture;
  3. (c) small areas affected by specific handicaps and in which farming must be continued in order to conserve the countryside and to preserve the tourist potential of the area.

Except for very small areas, the directive reserves to the Council of Ministers the power to designate as less-favoured areas which the European Commission has accepted as meeting the criteria.

Mr. Hordern

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether farming land in the Weald of Sussex in the Horsham constituency conforms with the criteria under which grant is available under the marginal land scheme.

Mrs. Fenner

To qualify for the special system of aids provided for in directive 75/268/EEC, land has to be formally designated as less-favoured. I am not aware that farming land in the constituency named would meet the criteria for such designation.

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