asked the Minister for Agriculture if he has any information as to the possibility of a guaranteed minimum price being fixed for home-produced beef and mutton in the United Kingdom as and when rationing of meat is terminated, and whether such guaranteed minimum price will be payable for cattle and sheep exported to the United Kingdom from Eire.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beef and Mutton Prices.
Mr. Walsh
The British Minister of Food has stated that one of the pre-requisites of derationing meat is the making of satisfactory arrangements for giving effect to the price and market guarantees for home production under the British Agriculture Act, 1947. So far, no announcement has been made as to the nature of such arrangements.
The amendment made last June tothe Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement provided that the British Government will give prior notice to the Government of Ireland of the handing back to private traders of the importation or purchase of any of the products (including cattle and sheep) mentioned in the new annex to the agreement, so that the two Governments may consider together the arrangements under which trade in that product will be continued. No such notice has yet been received.