§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on further advance payments on cereals from the 1971 harvest,
§ Mr. PriorDeficiency payments do not of course become due until after the end of the cereal year, when average market prices for the whole year can be calculated. It has nevertheless been the practice for many years to pay in advance round about the turn of the year290W and I would not normally go beyond this. However, I recognise that this has been a somewhat exceptional season, and in the circumstances I am prepared to depart from the normal practice and make a second advance payment, which will put a further £21.3 million in growers' hands. Payment will be made after Easter and will be at the following rates:
£ per acre Wheat … … 3.00 Barley … … 2.00 Oats and Mixed Corn … … 2.00 It will not be necessary for growers to put in a further claim for this second payment—but I strongly advise all growers to check that they remembered to make their original claim in the first place, because there is not long to go before the closing date of 31st March.