HC Deb 03 December 1987 vol 123 c695W
Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will allocate further funds under the non-plan agricultural improvement scheme to small farmers.

Mr. Viggers

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: Additional funds have recently been made available under this scheme to all farmers irrespective of business size but subject to expenditure limits per farm business and per labour unit. I have no plans to make further special arrangements for small farmers.

Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money was allocated under the non-plan agricultural improvement scheme in 1986 in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Viggers

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: In 1986–87 financial year £8.46 million was paid to Northern Ireland farmers under this scheme.

Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications were received under the non-plan agricultural improvement scheme in 1986 in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Viggers

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: In 1986–87 financial year 2,273 claims were received from Northern Ireland farmers for grant under this scheme.

Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications under the non-plan agricultural improvement scheme were refused in 1986; and what were the reasons for refusal, giving the numbers in each refusal category.

Mr. Viggers

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: In 1986–87 financial year 28 claims for grant were refused on the grounds that:

  1. (a) they failed to meet the minimum level of expenditure for a claim (£750).
  2. (b) they could not be paid during the currency of an improvement plan undertaken by the applicant.
  3. (c) the work on items on which grant was claimed had not been completed or not completed to required standards; or
  4. (d) a commitment to expenditure for agricultural waste and effluent facilities had been made after the scheme had been closed to such works on 23 July 1985.

To establish the number of refusals in each category would require disproportionate expenditure.