§ Mr. Maxwell-Hyslopasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what Votes the cost falls of the extra payments made to compensate Ulster livestock producers for the disparity between the sterling/green pound and Irish pound/green pound rates, and the monthly totals paid out in this manner in each of the last 12 months: and what is his projected out-turn for the present financial year of these payments.
§ Mr. DunnThe disparity referred to led to the introduction of the Meat Industry Employment Scheme under Northern Ireland Estimates Class 1 Vote 3 Subhead A4 (Employment Schemes).
The monthly amounts paid out in 1976–77 were as follows:
£ April 74,281 May 156,643 June 236,966 July 307,374 August Nil September Nil October Nil November 1,066,806 December 914,718 January 670,423 February 1,140,322 March 2,964,263 The scheme has been extended to 30th June 1977; at present the further payments for animals marketed up to that date are expected to be about £8 million.