Vol. 405 No. 5
16 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food when he proposes to introduce indexation of standard costings for the various farm improvement programmes operated by his Department; and the level of additional benefit which this will bring to farmers involved in these programmes.
As outlined in the Programme for Economic and Social Progress the standard costings used for farm development schemes will be revised annually as and from August this year in accordance with a CSO index. It is estimated that this revision will mean an increase in the level of grant payments of £2 million per year and will ensure that grant payments will henceforth be increased automatically with increased costings.
