§ 46. Sir Anthony Meyerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent assessment he has made of the effect on British farmers and British consumers of the operation of the European Community sheepmeat regime.
§ Mr Buchanan SmithThe sheepmeat regime has brought substantial benefits to British sheep producers, who have a guaranteed price for fat lambs which is now nearly 40 per cent. above the level under our national250W arrangements in 1980 before the regime was introduced. Breeders benefit from an annual premium on ewes. The breeding flock has been increasing by 2 to 3 per cent. a year and production is rising at a broadly similar rate.
British consumers benefit from the effect on retail prices of using deficiency payments rather than intervention and from continued access to supplies of New Zealand frozen lamb, which comes in at a reduced tariff rate. Consumption of lamb has also increased.