§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the value of beef and beef products imported into the United Kingdom from New Zealand in each year since the United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community; and what was the volume and weight, in metric tons, imported in each year of the same period.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe following is the information requested:
considerable fall in hill farmers' incomes and we accordingly made the biggest ever increases in the hill cow and hill sheep allowances paid under the European Community's less favoured areas directive. This year's review has shown that, although hill farm incomes in some areas are rather higher than last year, others are lower. Further help is required in order to achieve the maintenance of the hill livestock industry, which is of vital importance to the social structure of our hill areas.
We have, therefore, decided, subject to parliamentary approval, to increase still further the rates for hill livestock in the allowances due at the beginning of 1981.
For hill cows, the rate will be increased by £7.50, from £35 to £42.50 per cow. This, together with the new £12.37 suckler cow premium announced in August, will mean that the hill farmer obtaining both allowances will be receiving £54.87 per cow compared with £29 in 1979, an increase of 89 per cent.
So far as sheep are concerned, we believe that the new Community regime will bring increasing benefits to hill sheep producers but that meanwhile there is a need to increase the assistance given to those who raise the hardier breeds. We have, therefore, decided to increase the higher rate of hill sheep allowance by 75p, bringing the rate up from £5.50 to £6.25 per breeding ewe. The lower rate of hill sheep allowance will remain at £4.25 per breeding ewe. The higher rate of £6.25 compares with £4.10 in 1979, an increase of 52 per cent.
We have also decided to take the opportunity of bringing into effect the increase—to 97ecu, or £60—in the maximum amount of assistance payable per hectare, which was recently authorised by the Council. This will help those who have previously had their rate of assistance limited by the former maximum of 65.60 ecu (£40.58) per hectare.
Draft regulations to implement these increases, which will be worth an extra £12.4 million in 1981, will be laid before Parliament. The cost will be contained within the 233W planned expenditure totals of the Agriculture Departments. Supplementary Estimates will be presented in due course.