2. Lord Hamiltonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Government intend to review the Northern Ireland Remoteness Grant.
§ The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Cledwyn Hughes)We shall be reviewing the grant in the course of this year.
Lord HamiltonIs the Minister aware that owing to Government policy and remoteness the Northern Ireland agriculture industry has an income ratio of only 78 per cent. compared with the rest of the United Kingdom, which in terms of hard cash represents a loss in income of more than £7.9 million per annum?
§ Mr. HughesThis is known to me. The problems of Northern Ireland agriculture are carefully considered by us in the Annual Review discussions, in which the Ulster Farmers Union is represented. I have discussions, too, with the Minister of Agriculture for Northern Ireland. As 1316 I said, we shall be reviewing this carefully, and I know that the noble Lord is particularly interested in the disparity in the costs of feeding stuffs between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. We shall be considering what weight to give to this during the review of the grant.
§ Sir Knox CunninghamWhile we are grateful to the Minister for reviewing this matter, may I ask him to pay careful consideration to the difficulties which arise because of the sea between this part of the United Kingdom and the other and the disparities which farmers very genuinely suffer as a result?
§ Mr. HughesI am conscious of the sea which separates us. That is why a remoteness grant is already in existence.