79. Lord Hamiltonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the increased cost to the Northern Ireland agricultural industry of recent increases in road and sea freight rates.
§ Mr. MackieThe increases in freight rates recorded since the 1969 Annual Review are estimated to add about £7¼ million to agricultural costs in a full year for the United Kingdom as a whole. Agriculture in Northern Ireland has been affected by these increases but separate estimates of the extra costs for Northern Ireland alone are not available.
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Lord Hamiltonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the amount and cost of overdrafts to the Northern Ireland agricultural industry during 1968.
§ Mr. MackieI understand from the Minister of Agriculture for Northern Ireland that in 1968 bank lending to agriculture and fishing in Northern Ireland varied between £17.6 million and £18.8 million. Interest is estimated at about £1.6 million without allowing for reductions for tax relief.
80. Lord Hamiltonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the amount of increased costs borne by Northern Ireland farmers since October, 1964.
§ Mr. MackieEstimates of the total cost changes of agriculture for the United Kingdom as a whole are published in each Annual Review White Paper. These include cost changes in Northern Ireland but separate estimates are not available.