asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria will be applied to decide eligibility for the small cereals producer aid; and if he will make a statement.
In the United Kingdom eligibility for the small cereals producer aid intended to offset the effect of the cereals co-responsibility levy, will be restricted to those cereals producers with not more than 100 hectares of crops and grass, excluding rough grazing, who can supply evidence that during the 1986–87 cereals marketing year they have had the cereals co-responsibility levy deducted on their grain. The aid will be paid at a maximum rate of £3·37 per tonne on a minimum claim of 3 tonnes and up to a maximum of 25 tonnes (£84·33). The rate of aid will be reduced if the total amount of aid claimed by producers exceeds the 5·35 million ECU (£3·354 million) allocated to the United Kingdom for this purpose.Application forms are being despatched in England and Wales to those cereal producers believed to meet the criteria. Producers who believe they are eligible and do not receive an application form should apply to their local divisional office for a form. Separate arrangements for distributing application forms have been made in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Completed application forms must be returned to divisional offices by 31 July 1987. Payments will be made by 31 December 1987.