HC Deb 15 July 1998 vol 316 c234W
28. Mr. Walter

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the likely impact on farm incomes of the ending of the beef export ban on shipments from Northern Ireland. [49046]

Mr. Paul Murphy

The raising of the ban on the export of Northern Ireland beef should result in an improvement in beef producers' incomes in the longer term. It is difficult to be precise on the size of the impact because it is unknown how quickly and to what extent old markets will be regained and new ones developed.