HC Deb 14 December 1995 vol 268 c829W
22. Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce a scheme of voluntary early retirement for farmers. [4150]

Mr. Boswell

No. Council regulation 2079/92 permits member states to provide early retirement pensions to farmers aged between 55 and normal retirement age who release their land for amalgamation with other holdings or for non-agricultural use. This option has not been taken up in the UK because we take the view that its terms are not appropriate to the conditions of agriculture here.