I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 127 together.
I propose to circulate the monthly farm assist statistics requested in tabular form in the Official Report. The farm assist scheme, which introduced the special arrangements for farmers on low incomes, was provided for in the Social Welfare Act, 1999, and came into operation with effect from 7 April 1999.
On 22 September 2000, there were 7,650 farm assist claims in payment, with a further 79 claims under investigation. A further 242 claimants are still in receipt of smallholders unemployment assistance. It should be borne in mind that the numbers receiving smallholders assistance had for various reasons declined from 9,900 in 1995 to 6,600 in 1998, that is, by more than 1,000 per year. It seems likely that this decline would have continued so that the 7,900 people now receiving payments reflects a significant reversal of the trend in numbers who benefited from support.
To date 626 claimants have transferred from other schemes, comprising 582 from pre-retirement allowance, five from widow's and widower's – non-contributory – pensions and 39 from disability allowance cases. I believe that the scheme has brought about a worthwhile improvement for low income farmers and particularly for those with children. The Social Welfare Act, 2000, made a number of important changes to the means test for the farm assist scheme. The child-related disregards have been increased from £100 to £200 for the first two children and from £200 to £300 for each subsequent qualified child.
Furthermore, instead of 80%, only 70% of self-employment income, including off-farm self-employment, is now being taken into account in the assessment of means. There are also changes in the way capital is assessed, with the first £10,000 held by a claimant disregarded and the balance treated more favourably than heretofore. The effect of these changes is that the majority of farm assist claimants will receive an increase in their payment from 27 September.
The scheme clearly makes a valuable contribution to supporting those who are at the lower end of the farm income spectrum.
Table 1
Farm Assist Recipients – monthly breakdown
Week Ending
|
No. of Recipients
|
31/05/99
|
2,639
|
26/06/99
|
3,568
|
31/07/99
|
5,165
|
28/08/99
|
5,937
|
25/09/99
|
6,519
|
30/10/99
|
6,841
|
27/11/99
|
6,961
|
31/12/99
|
7,117
|
28/01/00
|
7,361
|
25/02/00
|
7,536
|
31/03/00
|
7,568
|
22/04/00
|
7,540
|
26/05/00
|
7,570
|
30/06/00
|
7,568
|
28/07/00
|
7,607
|
25/08/00
|
7,651
|