§ Mr. Burtasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from farmers in the Greater Manchester county area about the exceptional weather aid scheme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. JoplingI have received four letters from hon. Members asking me to extend payments under the546W exceptional weather aid scheme to farmers in the Greater Manchester area. While I sympathise with all farmers who suffered as a result of last year's bad weather but did not qualify for assistance under the scheme, we had to direct the limited resources available to those areas which were most seriously affected. There was inevitably some element of rough justice, but I believe that in broad terms we have achieved our objective of helping those most in need.
Those farmers in Greater Manchester who fall within the less favoured areas will qualify for hill livestock compensatory allowances which will be paid at increased rates for 1986, as I announced on 28 November 1985.