§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will consider ways and means of reducing the burden on farmers who took out loans at fixed rates of interest from the Department of Agriculture (Northern Ireland) in the late 1970s when interest rates were very high.
§ Dr. BoysonNo, but there is no penalty for early repayment of such loans and borrowers are free to refinance their borrowings from the private sector if they so wish.