asked the Minister for Agriculture (a) the amount of benefit available to a retired farmer who has assigned 99 acres of a former holding of 100 acres, having a land valuation of £100, to a member of his family at least three years previously, having no other cash income and no legal property other than one acre of land and a small dwelling with a valuation not exceeding £20, under the latest EEC Farmers' Retirement Scheme and (b) the effect of the EEC retirement benefit on the social welfare non-contributory pension when payable at age 66 in 1980.
Written Answers. - Farmers' Retirement Scheme.
320.
It is not possible to give the information requested in the hypothetical case quoted in the first part of the question. Precise information about a variety of personal circumstances of both parties would be necessary in actual cases in order to determine the eligibility of a retiring farmer for the benefits available under the Farmers' Retirement Scheme. For example, an upper limit of 45 adjusted acres normally applies under the scheme and intra-family transactions qualify for benefit only in certain limited circumstances.
In regard to part (b) of the question, the income of a beneficiary under the Farmers' Retirement Scheme would be counted as means for the purpose of qualification for social welfare non-contributory pensions.