§ Mr. RichardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on measures taken to help the beef sector since 1992. [13945]
§ Mr. Jonathan EvansThe package of reforms to the common agriculture policy agreed in 1992 provided for the introduction in 1993 of the beef special premium scheme and suckler cow premium scheme. These schemes have injected £164.4 million into the beef sector in Wales since 1 January 1993.
Following the statement by my right hon. Friend on 20 March 1996, the Government have committed £3.5 billion to support the industry in the UK, over four years, on the following measures in response to the BSE crisis:
Scheme Payments in Wales Beef marketing payments scheme 1 £1.27 million (paid early October 1996) Beef marketing payments scheme 2 Estimated £1.6 million to be paid Slaughtering industry (emergency aid) scheme £622,863 paid to Welsh abattoirs Beef stocks transfer scheme £312,494 paid to Welsh participants (to 24 January 1997) Beef special premium supplementary payments £4.47 million paid to date Suckler cow premium supplementary payments £4.1 million paid to date Over thirty months scheme —1 Calf processing scheme —1 Selective cull —1 Clean beef top up —1 Beef and beef products disposal service —1 Animal feed disposal service —1 Intervention support —1 Aid to the rendering industry —1 1 Not disaggregated from United Kingdom total