§ 22. Mr. Corrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the estimated difference in total payments under the hill land compensatory payments scheme and the present hill and upland payments including brucellosis payments; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Hugh D. BrownPayments of compensatory allowances will be at the same rates for breeding cattle and sheep as would have been payable under the previous United Kingdom schemes. The new scheme, however, specifically excludes payments to farms of less than three hectares, and payments on crop acreages. It also imposes an upper limit of payment per livestock unit or per hectare. I estimate the effect of these restrictions would be to reduce total payments in Scotland by about two per cent. but we are hopeful of achieving EEC agreement to special arrangements which210W will broadly mean no change in overall assistance to Scottish hill farmers. The payment of brucellosis incentives is not affected by the change in the basis of assistance to hill farming.