§ 20. Mr. Lathamasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a further statement on the effect on milk producers of the recent cuts in milk production.
§ Mr. MacGregorProducers are responding to the supplementary levy both by reducing the size of their herds268W and by feeding fewer concentrates. The impact of the levy on any individual producer must clearly vary widely according to his individual circumstances.
§ 22. Mr. Colin Shepherdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the present trend of milk production in the United Kingdom will result in the total of United Kingdom milk production to fall within the national quota.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe quantity of milk being sold through the United Kingdom marketing schemes is currently estimated to be 5.6 per cent. below sales a year ago taking the first three months of the marketing year overall. In national terms a cut of about 6.5 per cent. compared with 1983 is required. Whether production in total falls within the national quantity in the year as a whole will depend on the individual decisions of producers in the management of their enterprises and on other unpredictable factors such as the weather. We and the MMBs shall be monitoring the situation carefully.
§ 26. Mr. Robert Atkinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had about special assistance for small milk producers following the introduction of the super levy.
§ Mr. JoplingI have received a great many representations in favour of support for the smaller milk producer. I remind my hon. Friend of the arrangements which I announced on 25 May in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, North (Mr. Baker).
§ 32. Mr. Macleanasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when progress will be made in dealing with applications from milk producers who wish to take payments under the Government's outgoers scheme.
§ Mr. JoplingThe arrangements for the outgoers scheme are now being finalised in consultation with the organisations concerned. I shall shortly be making an announcement to inform milk producers about the precise details and to explain how applications should be made.
§ 33. Mr. Keyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to publish details of hardship cases amongst milk producers that will be considered for extra quota under the 2.5 per cent. reserved from the national quota.
§ Mr. JoplingMy Department wrote to all known milk producers on 11 June setting out the categories of special cases which may receive allocations from the 2.5 per cent. of the England and Wales quota reserved for that purpose.
§ 34. Mr. Knoxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about progress in determining additional milk quotas for dairy farmers considered to be special cases.
§ Mr. JoplingPreparations for dealing with special cases are well in hand. As soon as the draft dairy produce quota regulations are approved by Parliament, all known milk producers will be sent application forms. Applications will be considered by a tribunal and local panels.
§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how his Ministry, under the farm and horticulture development scheme and agriculture and horticulture development scheme, are going about reducing the dependence of dairy farmers on milk production.
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§ Mr. MacGregorWe have secured agreement from the European Commission for a relaxation of the conditions of farm and horticulture development scheme and the agriculture and horticulture development scheme for those farmers with dairy development plans. As a result, dairy farmers have the option of varying their development plans to reduce their dependence on milk production without meeting the normal variation rules or of changing the direction of their plan to get out of milk production altogether. In exceptional cases we will consider allowing a second, non-dairy, plan, and for farmers not wishing to commit any more investment, the arrangements permit withdrawal from their development plan without penalty. All dairy development plan holders will receive a letter—if they have not already done so—from their local agriculture department office, explaining the options open to them.
§ Mr. Macleanasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to details of the system of support in West Germany which enables young farmers to build up to a viable milk unit by receiving a proportionately greater quota; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. JoplingThere is no special provision for young farmers in the German implementing regulation. Although the Community legislation on the allocation of extra quota to special areas allows member states to make additional allocations to young farmers, we have decided to give priority to those who have suffered exceptional events or are undertaking investment, and do not intend to make special provision for young farmers.