Meat Industry Employment Scheme (Hansard, 13 January 1977)

14. Mr. Wm. Ross
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with the operation of the Meat Industry Employment Scheme.

§ Mr. Dunn
Yes. The Meat Industry Employment Scheme has enabled Northern Ireland beef and pig processing plants to compete successfully for supplies of cattle and pigs, thereby maintaining employment in the industry despite the differential between the United Kingdom and Irish Republic green pounds.

Mr. Ross
The Northern Ireland Members welcome the Meat Industry Employment Scheme, but is the hon. Gentleman aware of the pressing problems experienced in the export of live animals from Northern Ireland to Great Britain? Will not the present arrangement encourage some persons to smuggle animals from Northern Ireland into the Irish Republic and export them, apparently legally, to Great Britain? Does the Minister agree that the best way to overcome the problem would be to give the same facilities to the live export trade from Northern Ireland as are given to the dead trade?

§ Mr. Dunn
No, I do not agree that that is the best way to deal with the problem. 1632 The primary objective of the Meat Industry Employment Scheme is to protect employment, not to stop the activities of smugglers. We do not feel justified in extending the scheme to cattle shippers or the live export trade, or to make any particular arrangement for financial support to shipping companies. I am sure the hon. Gentleman is aware that smuggling has been a pastime for many years. Money is not always the primary factor.

§ Mr. John Ellis
Will my hon. Friend accept my sympathy? In addition to the vanishing pig he has a reappearing pig, in the Ulster context. Both in Ulster and on the mainland the pigmeat industry and the farmers are in serious difficulties. I appreciate what is being done to renegotiate the individual MCAs. I understand that there is a proposal for emergency aid of 50p per score. Some of us think that this immediate action should be taken, in view of the bureaucracy of the Common Market. Will my hon. Friend support his right hon. Friend in considerations of that nature?

§ Mr. Dunn
My hon. Friend brings to my attention proposals that have not yet been confirmed by those who hold agricultural briefs on behalf of the Government. I agree that there have been many problems in the pig sector, not least in terms of the high cost of importing food. Whether these problems can be resolved in the way suggested by my hon. Friend, I am not certain, but any financial support must make a contribution to regional problems in the industry.