§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the average price paid for clean cattle as recorded on representative markets in Great Britain, for each month of 1974 to date, with corresponding figures for 1973.
§ Mr. BishopThe information is not available in the form requested. The monthly averages of fat cattle prices in the United Kingdom for the period in question are given below:
UNITED KINGDOM FAT CATTLE MARKET PRICES MONTHLY AVERAGES 1973 1974 Certified cattle* £ per £ per live cwt. live cwt. January 18.47 18.44 — February 18.23 18.30 — March 18.70 18.73 — April 19.01 18.55 — May 19.44 19.00 — June 19.41 17.84 — July 19.10 17.86 — August 18.79 16.62 — September 18.33 15.11 15.16 October 18.34 12.97 13.05 November 18.66 — — December 19.15 — — * Certified for Beef Premium Scheme. Source: MLC.
§ Mr. John H. Osbornasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at what average price per cwt. cattle are now being imported into this country; and if he will indicate the average price and quanity from each exporting country, indicating how this price compares with that paid to British farmers.
88W
§ Mr. BishopThe information requested is not available. Imports into the United Kingdom of cattle for slaughter come almost exclusively from the Irish Republic. In August, the latest month for which official figures are available, 6,037 head of cattle were imported from the Irish Republic. The reference price for cattle in mid-August was £13.76 per live cwt. in the Irish Republic and £15.58 per live cwt. in the United Kingdom. At the week ending 31st October 1974 the respective reference prices were £11.19 per live cwt. and £11.83 per live cwt.