asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the saving which was returned from the ERAD budget in 1988; if he will make a statement on recent reports which stated that £3 million was underspent by ERAD with regard to reactor compensation; and if he intends to bring forward a supplementary Estimate for the ERAD budget in 1989 to provide funds for increased reactor compensation in view of the saving in 1988.
Written Answers. - ERAD Budget.
76.
The financial outturn for subhead C2 (Bovine Tuberculosis and Brucellosis Eradication) of the 1988 Vote for Agriculture and Food shows a saving of £3.2 million. The saving arose primarily from the fact that the number of reactors disclosed during the year was lower than that estimated and because there was a consequential reduction in the follow up testing necessary in reactor herds resulting in savings on veterinary testing fees.
I understand that the farming organisations will shortly be making proposals regarding the provision of additional funds for compensation for reactors identified during the round of testing now beginning and any such proposals will be fully examined when they are received.