§ Sir J. Gilmourasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what total extra payments were made to producers during the first 20 weeks of the current year in respect of fat cattle sold under the fatstock guarantee scheme by way of bonus; what actual total amount of trim has since been withheld from producers up to the latest convenient date; what estimates he has made for the total amount of trim by the end of the current fatstock year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HoyThe total supplements included in guarantee payments on fat cattle during the first 20 weeks of the current fatstock year amounted to £581,740. Abatements withheld during the current year up to 5th February, 1967, amounted to £3,301,589. The total of abatements withheld during the year ending 26th March, 1967, will be about £4½ million.
In distributing the end-of-year payment due, a sum of 1s. 6d. per live cwt. will be paid on all animals certified during the year, and the balance will be apportioned among animals certified when guarantee payments were being abated.