asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will pay the sheep headage subsidy to all applicants in the severely handicapped areas irrespective of whether they have mountain grazing.
Written Answers. - Sheep Headage Subsidy.
21.
Applicants in both the more and less severely handicapped areas are already paid sheep headage grants on hogget ewes. Applicants with mountain grazings in these areas are also paid headage on mountain breeding ewes. Because of the extra cost (£8.1 million in a full year before EC recoupment) and the scarcity of Exchequer resources, I do not propose to pay headage on all other breeding ewes in these areas.