§ 39. Mr. Farrasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the progress of the move to voluntary accreditation against brucellosis.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartProgress has been very good. The Incentives Scheme has attracted over 15,000 new applications in eight months; and the substantial increase in incentive premiums, announced last week, should give still further nationwide encouragement to voluntary accreditation.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now increase the eradication of 72W brucellosis incentive for eligible cows and consider extending the scheme to cows which are not presently eligible.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartSubstantial increases in the brucellosis incentives were announced last week and take effect from 1st April, 1971. In general the incentives apply only where a Milk Marketing Board payment is made on milk or where the Hill or Beef Cow Subsidy is payable on the animals concerned.
Special arrangements have been made for producer retailers and for certain dairy herds in outlying areas of Scotland; and the new rules to be introduced for the beef cow subsidy will mean that more cows are eligible for the incentives. Any further special arrangements would either make for difficulty with mixed herds or involve disproportionate administrative costs.