§ Sir D. McCallum59, 60 and 61. asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if the recent instructions regarding the certification mark under the Fatstock Guarantee Scheme for the grading of fat sheep and lambs for this year by tattooing and punching a hole in the right ear of the animal were made with his approval; and what consultations took place with the Hill Farming Committee of the National Farmers' Union for Scotland and other breed societies concerned prior to the issue of the instructions;
(2) if he is aware of the adverse effect that has been created in the hill farming industry of Scotland by the instructions which have been issued to livestock inspectors this year regarding the punching of the right ear for the certification mark 4W under the Fatstock Guarantee Scheme; why it was necessary to alter the previous method of tattooing only the certification mark on the right ear; to what extent the system was changed to meet cases of fraud; and how many such cases have occurred in Scotland;
(3) if he is aware of the fact that the instructions regarding the certification mark under the Fatstock Guarantee Scheme which is to be punched in the right ear of the beast are already causing buyers of store sheep and lambs in Scotland to refuse any animal that has the customary ear marks for farm identification purposes in the right ear, and that this situation will adversely affect all hill sheep farmers in Scotland; and if he will accordingly revoke the instructions.
§ Mr. J. StuartRepresentatives of producers were fully consulted before the form of the different certification marks was decided upon. There has been no change in the marks or in the instructions to certifying officers this year. I am not aware that the hill sheep industry has been or will be adversely affected by the need for permanent certification marks. There has, however, been some uninformed comment recently which may have misled farmers and others. The position has been discussed with the National Farmers' Union of Scotland and with the Blackface Sheep Breeders' Association, and I understand there is now general understanding that the customary earmarks applied by hill sheep farmers will not render the sheep ineligible for subsidy payments unless a three-quarter inch square or more is removed from the animal's right ear.