§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Meat and Livestock Commission's proposal that expenditure on pigmeat promotion will fall from £3.4 million in 1988–89 to £2.5 million in 1990–91.
Mr. Donald ThomsponI understand that the Meat and Livestock Commission's draft corporate plan, covering the period 1988–91, proposed expenditure on pigmeat promotion as indicated. The proposals in the corporate plan finally adopted by the Commission, following consultation with the industry, are £3.6 million in 1988–89 and £2.9 million in 1990–91. This compares with £2.5 million actually spent in 1987–88.
As with cattle and sheep, the MLC intends to reduce the allocation from the general levy income (which, of course, is used to fund other work on pigs, cattle and sheep) to promotion of the individual meats. Pigmeat promotion 330W funds will become more reliant on income from the producer-funded levy. The corporate plan assumes increases in the species promotion levy on pigs, but it is for the Pork and Bacon Promotion Council to recommend—and the commission as a whole to decide—the actual rates of levy. The council, which consists of pig producers and other industry interests, has not yet recommended rates for 1989–90 or 1990–91. It will do so in the knowledge of the level of income likely to be generated.