§ 9. Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the sum of the deficiency payments made to Australia on beef shipped to the United Kingdom in the last financial year; to what extent this money is being used to provide an export bounty to encourage the shipment of chilled rather than frozen beef; and whether he expects increased supplies of chilled beef from Australia in the current year.
§ Mr. GodberDeficiency payments on Australian beef during 1957–58 amounted to £4,750,000. This money is used to finance an export bounty of 3d. (Australian) per lb. on first and second quality beef generally; but since last January this has been increased to 5d. per lb. on beef which comes within a new "chiller grade".
It is expected that, in the current year, there will be a further increase in supplies of Australian chilled beef which have increased from 2,100 tons in 1954–55 to 8,700 tons in 1956–57.
§ Mr. HurdIs my hon. Friend looking forward to the time when good quality Australian chilled beef can progressively replace Argentine beef, which does bring some troubles with it?
§ Mr. GodberWe are always glad to see the import of Commonwealth produce of this kind if it takes the place of that from other countries.