1. Lord Hamiltonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the Government are satisfied with the implementation of the Anglo-Eire Free Trade Agreement in regard to the payment of the Exchequer subsidy to the Eire Government; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Cledwyn Hughes)As the hon. Member is aware, the arrangements for payments in respect of limited quantities of beef and lamb are under consideration with the Government of the Irish Republic as part of the discussions about the trade in cattle and meat. We have, of course, been in touch with the Government of Northern Ireland about this.
Lord HamiltonIs the Minister aware that the payment of Exchequer subsidy to the dead meat industry in Eire as opposed to the producer undermines and has an adverse effect on the whole structure of the Northern Ireland dead meat industry, which is of vital importance to our agricultural economy in Northern Ireland? Does the realise that if this 1360 anomaly were removed our dead meat industry could expand both production and employment? In fact, it could create 2,400 more jobs.
§ Mr. HughesI am aware of the employment implications in Northern Ireland and of the hon. Gentleman's interest. I am also aware of the difficulty faced by some of the meat plants in Northern Ireland. I have had a series of discussions with the Irish Government about the implications for the trade in cattle and meat, and the Northern Ireland Government are fully associated with those discussions.