§ LORD HYLTONasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is true that Danish pig meat now arriving in Britain benefits from subsidies not available to farmers in Britain or other E.E.C. countries and if so what steps they are taking to remedy the situation.
§ LORD WELLS-PESTELLSendings of pig meat from other E.E.C. countries to the United Kingdom qualify for compensatory payments of two sorts, the first meant to reflect feed cost differences between the United Kingdom and other Member States, the second designed to protect United Kingdom consumers from the price effects of sterling depreciation 1367WA since accession. Only the monetary compensatory amounts are now at significant levels and on pork and bacon they will reduce by approximately 50 per cent. on May 1. The Government are not proposing any action to alter the working of this system, although they have recently introduced certain special assistance to United Kingdom pig producers.