§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many meetings he has had with the farming unions during the past three months, at which the losses arising from the Chernobyl disaster have been discussed; and if he will now make a further statement on improving his compensation scheme for farmers in Wales affected by this disaster.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI have had a number of meetings with the farming unions during the last three months to discuss compensation arrangements for producers affected by the Chernobyl incident. I and my ministerial colleagues have concluded that a further element of compensation is justified for the extra costs of monitoring and marking sheep before they can be released from the restricted area. We expect to make an early announcement on the details of this scheme.