§ Baroness Byfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What consultations they have had with regard to early retirement schemes for farmers. [HL953]
§ Baroness HaymanWe sought views on the option within the Rural Development Regulation for an early retirement scheme for farmers as part of its consultations on aNew Direction for Agriculture last year. These included inviting written responses to two consultation documents: Towards a New Direction for UK agriculture—Agenda 2000 CAP reform (January 1999) and A New Direction for Agriculture—a consultation document (August 1999), together with widespread regional consultation meetings.