§ Mr. Fosterasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why Teesdale farmers are being made to wait until October for compensation for sheep losses in the severe winter of 1978–79.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithAs my right hon. Friend said in reply to the hon. Member for Galloway (Mr. Lang) on 5 July, he and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales believe that a judgment on the need for additional aid for hill livestock producers should be deferred until we can take proper account of the prices obtained during the main selling period of lambs and stores this autumn. Meanwhile, we are implementing the 50p increase in the higher rate of hill sheep compensatory allowance announced on 9 March, and draft amending regulations have been laid before Parliament.