§ Mr. Hicksasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hill farmers in Scotland it is estimated will receive a lower level of hill assistance as a consequence of changing from the United Kingdom system of headage payments for hill cows and sheep to the proposed EEC hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme based on payments per hectare.
§ Mr. William RossOn the basis of the present rate for converting units of account into sterling, and at the current rates of payment, about 600 Scottish farmers would be due to receive a lower level of assistance, but I expect that more half of these will be covered by a declaration of the Commission at an EEC Council meeting last February to the effect that payments currently being made in excess of the limits in the Directive could be continued in the case of farmers in certain remote parts of Scotland.