§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to visit a pig farm placed under swine fever restrictions. [139643]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 21 November 2000]: I visited a farm affected by swine fever restrictions on 15 November.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what compensation for pig farms placed under swine fever restrictions is available; and when further compensation schemes will be available. [139644]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 21 November 2000]: To address welfare problems for those producers whose pigs do not have classical swine fever but are nonetheless caught by movement controls, the Government have introduced the Pig Welfare (Disposal) Scheme. A 574W payment to producers is linked to the scheme, but it is a welfare scheme and has no compensation element. £1.7 million has already been paid out under the scheme.
The industry is about to begin consultations on a levy based Development Scheme that will be used to top-up Government payments under the Pig Welfare (Disposal) Scheme. On completion of that consultation exercise, including addressing any objections, Ministers will be asked to decide whether or not to put a scheme before Parliament for approval.