asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the basis on which the coefficients for calculating intervention prices payable in Ireland were altered, which reduces the intervention price for steers from approximately £0.47p per pound to £0.45p per pound.
Written Answers. - Beef Intervention Price.
103.
The coefficients applied to the basic intervention price for the purpose of arriving at the buying in prices for the various types of beef are fixed by the Commission, after consulting the management committee, by reference to the market prices recorded over a representative period for the various categories of animals and in such a way as to promote greater harmonisation of buying in prices in the Community and in the light of experience acquired.
The recent reductions in coefficients were not confined to Ireland but applied to all other member States except one. Despite the reduction in our case, the new buying in price for steers I, viz. 45.58p per lb. is, of course, 4.83p higher than that previously applicable.
104.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he has yet received any recommendations as to how it will be ensured in the future that the intervention price for beef will be made available to the producer; and, if so, the action he proposes to take on them.
I understand that the Review Body on Beef Intervention has almost completed its work and that its report is likely to be available very shortly, possibly within a few weeks.
105.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the percentage of cattle qualifying for steer I maximum price and steer II maximum price in the past six months.
Of the total quantity of steer beef purchased into intervention in the six months ended February, 1976, 35.7 per cent qualified for the steer I maximum price and a further 25.8 per cent for the steer II maximum price.