§ Mr. Bruceasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farmers have been required to pay all or part of any grant given to them under the farm and horticultural development scheme for failing to meet the required output.
§ Mr. John MacKayIt is not possible to separate the details for the farm and horitculture development scheme and the agriculture and horticulture development scheme. Both schemes contained provision for the payment of guidance premium to farmers whose approved development plans were estimated to give them 50 per cent. or more of gross output from beef or sheepmeat at the end of their plans. For the two schemes combined, the number of farmers in Scotland eligible for guidance premium is 5,745. Guidance premium as been recovered in 11 cases for failure to achieve the required output level at the end of the plans, and action is in progress in two further such cases.
§ Mr. Bruceasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farmers have failed to meet the required 50 per cent. of output from beef production required by the farm and horticultural development scheme for beef development in Scotland.
§ Mr. John MacKayCentral records are maintained only of cases where failure to achieve 50 per cent. of gross306W output from beef or sheepmeat gives rise to recovery of guidance premium. Recovery is not automatic: it arises only where my Department is satisfied that a claimant failed to pursue his approved development plan and knowingly gave undertakings which could not he honoured. No record is kept of cases which failed to achieve the required output level but which did not give rise to recovery action.