§ Mr. Barry Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what factors determined the timing of his decision relating to lamb movements announced on 20 June.
§ Mr. JoplingI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Johnasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) when he expects to he in a position to provide criteria for establishing severe loss in particular circumstances for purposes of paying compensation to farmers suffering losses as a result of restrictions on the movement, sale and slaughter of sheep;
(2) what plans he has to compensate farmers who incur losses as a result of the ban imposed on the movement, sale and slaughter of sheep in north Wales and Cumbria; and whether these include (a) compensation for the fact that the guide price will be lower when the animals are finally marketed and (b) compensation for those farmers whose lambs become over-fat as a result of the delay and who therefore lose entitlement to the variable premium;
(3) if he will list the dates on which lambs tested for radioactivity were found to have had doses in excess of 600 becquerels per kilo, the number of animals involved on each date, and the exact reading in each instance;
(4) what information he has as to the likely long-term effects upon ewes in north Wales and Cumbria of exposure to radiation, and in particular how long such ewes are likely to give contaminated milk; whether movement to uncontaminated pasture would have a beneficial effect; and whether there is any risk of genetic mutations in sheep.
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§ Mrs. FennerI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.