Vol. 410 No. 4
26 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has any plans to establish a land authority to monitor and control land purchase with a view to implementing farm mobility measures such as retirement leasing and young farmer installation schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Two measures recently announced by the Government should help to increase land mobility. One is the decision to increase up to £4,000 the income tax liability exemption in respect of land leased by farmers aged 55 years or over. The other is the decision to introduce greater flexibility in the installation scheme for young farmers which will enable a greater number of small farmers to qualify for the benefits of the scheme.
Under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress the Government are committed, in the light of changes in the Common Agricultural Policy and other developments, to review all national policies relating to agriculture. In that context particular account will be taken of the need to promote structural change in farming, including the promotion of lifetime transfers of land and the early establishment of young trained farmers.
