HC Deb 02 July 1975 vol 894 cc441-2W
Mr. Corbett

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications for assistance for farm buildings under the Farm Capital Grants Scheme were made in the two most recent quotas for which figures are available; how this compares with the position in the same periods of 1973 and 1974; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Strang

No separate record is kept of the number of grant applications for farm buildings. The figures for the total number of applications in England and Wales under the Farm Capital Grant Schemes are:

Quarter ended Applications received
December 1972 11,108
March 1973 21,327
December 1973 43,879
March 1974 8,463
December 1974 6,509
March 1975 10,875

The figures for the quarter ending in December 1973 were inflated by an abnormal volume of applications in anticipation of changes in the coverage of the scheme made on 1st January 1974.

Mr. Corbett

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the rate of withdrawals of authorisations under the Farm Capital Grants Scheme in the two latest quarters for which figures are available; how this compares with the position a year earlier; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Strang

The figures for England and Wales are as follows:

Quarter ended Applications withdrawn after approval
December 1973 1,520
December 1974 2,006
March 1974 2,060
March 1975 2,136