§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he has taken to assist the economies of the upland communities; and if he will make a statement. [84297]
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Mr. Jon Owen JonesUpland communities have distinct needs and face particular challenges. The rural dimension is an important consideration of all polices and programmes affecting these areas.
Specific measures to assist upland communities include the major financial aid package announced by the Government last November which was worth more than £21 million to farmers in Wales. It included approximately £15 million for the 1999 Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances (HLCA) Scheme. This meant an increase of about 55 per cent. across all the HLCA rates. Over 90 per cent. of 1999 claims were paid by the end of April.
On 6 April, the Secretary of State for Wales launched a consultation paper on how HLCAs should be reformed in the wake of the agreement on Common Agriculture Policy reform. The results of that consultation will inform the National Assembly for Wales' consideration of how best to meet the needs of farming communities in the hills and uplands of Wales when responsibility for agriculture and rural affairs is transferred to it on 1 July 1999.