asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the amount of money in the price stabilisation fund held by the Pigs and Bacon Commission prior to the recent decision to subsidise bacon exports to Great Britain, the extent of the fund at present, and what levy is now being collected by bacon curers per pig slaughtered.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Price Stabilisation Fund.
At the end of 1949 the stabilisation fund stood at £34,107 and on the 2nd June at £16,620 7s. 11d. There is a levy of 1/- on each pig purchased by a curer and brought on to his premises. This is paid over to the credit of the insurance fund operated by the commission.
Are we to take it that, unlike any other subsidy, the subsidy payable on the export of bacon to Great Britain is borne entirely by the pig producers of the Twenty-Six Counties?
The Deputy, I think, understands very well that I informed the House that, in order to maintain stability in the pig trade on the home market, I proposed to employ this device until the issue of the negotiations proceeding in London had come to an end. I know that these negotiations have been protracted, but I believe the House will approve of patience in such negotiations if their issue proves to be as satisfactory as I hope they will be.
What I am asking the Minister to admit is that if a subsidy is payable, and if a subsidy must be paid in order that our surplus bacon should be disposed of in Great Britain, such a subsidy should be payable from the Exchequer and not from the pockets of the producers, as is the practice at present.
As the Deputy is very well aware, there was in the Pigs and Bacon Marketing Commission a substantial balance which had been collected from the curers during the Deputy's tenure of office as Minister for Agriculture. It appeared clear that, at some stage, if this fund were not expended, steps would have to be taken to restore it to the curers. It appeared to be a just use of the fund to subsidise, temporarily, the export of bacon out of the fund for the purpose of maintaining stability in the curers' own industry and, at the same time, to meet the convenience of pig producers.
May I take it, then——
Question No. 12.