§ Mr. Morganasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the hard winter experienced by many hill sheep farmers, he will make an interim payment on the hill sheep subsidy in England and Wales.
§ Mr. SoamesThis winter hill sheep farmers in some parts of England and Wales have had to contend with 49W unusually bad weather and, as a result, have had to buy substantially more fodder than usual at quite heavy cost. Because of these very exceptional conditions I have decided to make an interim payment to each regular applicant who asks for one, of up to half the face value of his claim for hill sheep subsidy in 1963. Details of how to apply will be included with the usual forms that will be going out during the next three or four weeks from Divisional Offices to farmers who received the subsidy last year.