§ 39. Mr. Hendryasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the guaranteed price for fat cattle is calculated on a live-weight or dead-weight; what is the conversion factor applied in equating live-weight with dead-weight; and what is the average percentage of dead-weight to live-weight.
§ Mr. MaclayGuarantee payments are determined on the basis of live-weight prices. The conversion factor is 1d. per lb. for every 5s. per cwt. of the live-weight guarantee payment. The average percentage of dead-weight to live-weight is estimated to be about 56 per cent.
§ Mr. HendrySince the conversion factor represents the killing-out percentage considerably less than the national average, can my right hon. Friend estimate the amount of public money which is being poured out unintentionally to those whose cattle are graded after slaughter, and what steps he is prepared to take to remedy this anomaly?
§ Mr. MaclayI should inform my hon. Friend that this matter has never been raised formally by any of the representative bodies on the Joint Advisory Panel set up by Ministers to advise them on the working of the fatstock guarantee scheme. I have noted what my hon. Friend has said, but I cannot add to my reply.
§ Mr. HendryIn view of the unsatisfactory situation revealed by the Answer, I propose to take an early opportunity of raising this matter on the Adjournment.