§ Mr. Alasdair MorganTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the amount of agrimonetary compensation for which farmers were eligible in each year since 1979 in(a) Scotland, (b) the UK and (c) Dumfries and Galloway region, broken down by farming sector; and how much was paid. [127695]
§ Ms QuinAgrimonetary compensation has been available since 1993. Until the introduction of the euro, it was triggered when national currency strengthened against the ECU sufficiently to outweigh the effects of previous devaluations (an appreciable revaluation). The UK first became eligible following appreciable revaluations in 1997. Compensation was also made available following the introduction of the euro on 1 January 1999, and in 2000 following exchange rate fluctuations.
1126WFigures for compensation are available on a member state basis and cannot be broken down except at disproportionate cost. Compensation paid between 1997 and to the end of June 2000 in (a), (b) and (c) is set out in the tables.
Agrimonetary compensation in the UK is available Compensation triggered/by sector Amount available (first instalment) (£ million) 1997 Cereals 195.7 Flax and hemp 0.4 Milk 219.2 Beef 78.2 Sugar 21.9 Total 515.4 1998 Cereals 89.2 Flax and hemp 1 Beef 22.8 Sheep 13.2 Agri-environment 1.9 Total 1128.1 1999 Cereals 174.8 Beef 62.69 Sheep 32.14 Flax and hemp 1.6 Agri-environment 7.8 Total 279 20002 Beef 54.3 Sheep 46.1 Agri-environment 9.8 Milk 22.1 Cereals 14.3 Total 146.6 1 Excludes £1.9 million, cancelled following later devaluation 2 Further compensation likely for arable in 2000
Agrimonetary compensation paid £ million Year paid UK Scotland Dumfries and Galloway 1997 Beef 18.3 — — 1998 Beef 109.4 34.3 6 Sheep 12.4 2.9 0.4 1999 Beef 61.6 4.5 0.9 Sheep 31.2 7.3 1.1 Arable 18.2 15.9 0.5 20002 Beef 32.4 10.5 1.8 Sheep 10.1 2.4 0.3 Arable 152.6 3 0.03 1 Early payment of compensation in Wales (paid in 1998 in rest of UK) 2 To end June 2000