§ Mr. Hazellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he proposes to make in the new year for abatements and supplements to the deficiency payments on fat cattle.
§ Mr. Peart:When I announced on 26th July that the scale of abatements and supplements on fat cattle would be virtually phased out for the remainder of 1967 to meet the exceptional market conditions of last summer, I said we would consider before the end of the year whether the modified arrangements needed to be extended.
Market prices now seem likely to be firm during the first quarter of 1968 so there appears to be no justification for prolonging the present exceptional arrangements. However, to prevent any possible disturbance arising from a sudden restoration of the system, the scale of abatements and supplements will be restored gradually. Starting with a maximum of 1s. for abatements and 8d. for 375W supplements in the first week of January there will be weekly increases of 1s. and 8d. respectively until the week begining 18th March, 1968. After that a final addition of 6d. to abatements and 4d. to supplements will bring both back to their original maxima of 12s. 6d. and 8s. 4d. per live cwt. in the last week of the fat-stock year.