asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason the amount of off-farm income taken into account in determining eligibility for headage payment is being reduced.
Written Answers. - Headage Payment Eligibility.
55.
The reason the off-farm income limit under the 1988 disadvantaged areas schemes is being reduced from £6,400 to £5,200 is to ensure that within the constraints of available resources the rates of headage grants are maintained and payments channelled to those most in need, that is farmers with no off-farm incomes or very low off-farm incomes. A similar approach was adopted by the previous Government in 1983 when the off-farm income limit at that stage was reduced from £5,415 to £3,500.