§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance his Department gives to encourage smallholdings. [3450]
§ Mr. AncramWhile there are no capital grant schemes specifically targeted to encourage smallholdings, grant assistance for all sizes of farm business is available under the sub-programme for agriculture and rural434W development—SPARD—capital grant and farm innovation schemes. Both of these are closed for receipt of applications at present.
The Department's agri-food development service runs a number of programmes, which include formal vocational courses and involve training courses and group activities at local community level in disadvantaged areas. These are of benefit to farms of all sizes, including small and very small holdings. Assistance for the establishment of farm woodlands is provided by the woodland grant scheme and the farm woodland premium scheme.
The Department has provided £900,000 of funding from the LEADER II programme to Family Farm Development Ltd. an organisation which aims to assist farm businesses.