HC Deb 23 March 1978 vol 946 cc641-2W
Mr. Lee

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the amount of pig subsidies withheld to date as a result of the court actions taken in the Court of the Community, and how many pig producers in the United Kingdom have been affected by this action.

Mr. Bishop

The pig subsidy which my right hon. Friend introduced in January last year and from which all pig producers benefited was payable under temporary arrangements for which no final date had been fixed. It is not, therefore, possible to estimate the amount of subsidy that would have been paid had the subsidy arrangements not been terminated in accordance with the decision of the European Court.

Mr. Wigley

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the net relative beneficial effect of the devaluation of the green pound in relation to the monetary compensatory allowance for pigs.

Mr. Bishop

The 5 per cent. devaluation from 2nd February reduced the payments of monetary compensatory amounts on our imports of bacon sides and canned hams by approximately £44 and £86 per tonne respectively. The further 2½ per cent. devaluation to be implemented in accordance with the statement made by my right hon. Friend on 1st February will further reduce these payments by proportionately smaller amounts.—[Vol. 943, cc.470–484.]

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