§ Mr. Arthur Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, having 177W regard to the bans on the export of sheep from 1st February 1973 and cattle and pigs from 13th July 1973 for slaughter or fattening both of which were lifted with effect from 16th January 1975, he will make an estimate of the value of exports lost in each case based upon the previous 12-month period.
§ Mr. BishopThe values of live exports of cattle, sheep and pigs, excluding breeding stock, in the 12-month periods preceding the dates on which the issue of export licences was suspended were, for cattle £25.6 million, sheep £2.5 million and pigs £1.3 million. However, exports of both meat and livestock fluctuate with the supply and demand situation both here and in Europe, and it is not possible to make any meaningful estimate of what our export earnings from live animals might have been had licences not been suspended.