Livestock Rearing

Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what Votes the cost falls of the extra payments made to compensate Ulster livestock producers for the disparity between the sterling/green pound and Irish pound/green pound rates, and the monthly totals paid out in this manner in each of the last 12 months: and what is his projected out-turn for the present financial year of these payments.

Mr. Dunn
The disparity referred to led to the introduction of the Meat Industry Employment Scheme under Northern Ireland Estimates Class 1 Vote 3 Subhead A4 (Employment Schemes).The monthly amounts paid out in 1976–77 were as follows:
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|September|
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|November |
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|December |
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|March    |
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The scheme has been extended to 30th June 1977; at present the further payments for animals marketed up to that date are expected to be about £8 million.