§ Mr. Roderickasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any proposals to deal with the problems arising from the delay in paying grants to hill farmers at the end of the year.
§ Mr. BishopClaim forms for the new compensatory allowances will be sent out to farmers immediately after Christmas. All the staff concerned have been impressed with the need to deal with claims as quickly as possible, and we expect to begin making payments from the middle of January.
§ Mr. Roderickasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the changes in hill farm subsidies for sheep and cattle, on well stocked farms of 50 acres, 75 acres, 100 acres, 125 acres, 150 acres, 175 acres and 200 acres, respectively, as a result of change-over to EEC payments as announced by him on 27th November 1975.
§ Mr. BishopThere will be no change in the headage rates paid for hill sheep and cattle under the new regulations implementing the EEC Directive on the Less Favoured Areas. There will, however, be an overall limitation on payments which is at present set at £28.48 per hectare. This compares with the maximum stocking ratios under previous 721W United Kingdom schemes of one cow to four acres and two-and-a-half ewes to one acre, restricted as necessary to the carrying capacity of the land concerned. The precise effect of the changeover on farms of different acreages will vary according to the stocking capacity of the land.