§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the time scale of the payment of weather aid and hill livestock compensatory allowance remains as indicated in November 1985; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayYes. Payment of weather aid commenced on 20 December and by tomorrow £6.6 million will have been paid out to 18,300 applicants. Hill livestock compensatory allowance payments commenced on 27 January, one month earlier than in 1985. By tomorrow, £15 million will have been paid out to 7,350 applicants.
In addition, £7.2 million was paid out in sheep annual premium to 15,000 applicants on 17 December.
Payments on such a scale in under nine weeks represent a very considerable achievement by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, on which I commend it.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the special weather and enhanced hill livestock compensatory allowance announced in 1985 take account of the supplement introduced in 1984 which was payable to farmers in the Highlands and Islands Development Board areas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayFollowing the announcement of new hill livestock compensatory allowances (HLCAs) for 1986, revised Highlands and Islands Development Board (HIDB) supplements were announced on 19 December 1985, at columnn294, by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Scotland. Adverse weather aid payments are entirely unrelated to HLCAs and the rates of payment are the same within and outwith the HIDB area.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the real overall value of the special weather aid and enhanced hill livestock compensatory allowance announced in 1985 after taking account of delays in payments; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayMy right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State announced on 28 November that the estimated value of the adverse weather aid in Scotland was £7.7 million; and that the increase in hill livestock compensatory allowances would be worth about £5 million in a full year, bringing the total value of these allowances to over £43 million. He undertook to make the weather aid payments speedily and to make an initial payment of 75 per cent. of the HLCA as soon as possible after receipt of the claims, the balance being paid after checking.
508WPayment of the adverse weather aid commenced on 20 December and by tomorrow £6.6 million will have been paid out to 18,300 applicants. HLCA payments commenced on 27 January, one month earlier than in 1985. By tomorrow, £15 million will have been paid out to 7,350 applicants.
The estimated value of the aid and the HLCAs to Scottish farmers remains as announced.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the National Farmers Union of Scotland on weather aid and hill livestock compensatory payments; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe National Farmers Union has made representations alleging delay in making these payments. I do not accept these criticisms. Payments are being made in accordance with the announcement by my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State on 28 November. I have directed the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland to treat those payments as a matter of urgency. I am very satisfied with the progress to date and I have every confidence that it will continue.