§ Mr. Watsonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the effect which the recent exceptional snow falls have had upon sheep and livestock farmers in the North of England, if he will consider a scheme of compensation, particularly for farmers who have experienced substantial losses during the peak of their lambing season.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithIt has been the policy of successive Governments that financial assistance is not provided to farmers to compensate for losses of livestock due to normal hazards such as bad weather. I am very much aware of the difficulties which some farmers have experienced during the recent bad weather, but we have no plans to introduce a scheme of compensation.