§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Minister of Fisheries and Food what estimate he has value to the Lancashire meat trade of movement to slaughter scheme. [157991]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 10 May 2001]: We have been able to allow movement to slaughter under licence so that the risk of the spread of foot and mouth disease is reduced as far as possible. This has enabled the meat trade to resume operations but no estimate of the value of this to the Lancashire meat trade has been made.
492Wlevel of market support to the arable, beef and dairy regimes, and the establishment of a single, integrated legal framework for farm-related rural development and agri-environment measures (the Rural Development Regulation).
Other proposals likely to impact on the livestock industry are:
Commission proposal (April 2000) to amend Common Organisation of Market in pigmeat to permit member states to set producer-financed funds to help stabilise incomes;Commission proposal (December 2000) to introduce a three-year pilot "Small Farmers' Scheme" simplifying the subsidy system for farmers receiving CAP payments under specified schemes of less than 1,000 euros per year, andCommission seven-point plan (January 2001) to tackle the difficulties faced by the beef regime in the light of BSE.All proposals for EU legislation are subject to ministerial and parliamentary scrutiny before they are adopted.
The Government are not aware of any proposals for an arable-only future for the British farming industry.