asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state on what basis the prices payable for (1) sheep and lambs, and (2) pigs and bacon by the British Ministry of Food are fixed; and what, if any, variations in prices payable have taken place since the agreed basis was established.
Written Answers. - British Prices for Irish Foodstuffs.
Mr. Walsh
As regards the first part of the question, the prices for (1) sheep and lambs were fixed in 1949 on the basis of the provision under head H in the annex to the 1948 Trade Agreement with Great Britain. The prices for (2) pigs and bacon were fixed in the pigs and bacon agreement made with the Ministry in 1951 on the basis indicated in my reply to a question by Deputy Lehane on 5th June.
As regards the second part of the question, the schedules of prices for sheep and lambs in 1949-50 and 1950-51 will be found in the annual reports of my Department for these years, Tables XLIII and XL, respectively, and I am sending the Deputy copies of the schedules for 1951-52 and 1952-53. Since the pigs and bacon agreement was made increases in the prices payable for pigs and bacon took place following an increase in the British general import price for bacon in September, 1951, and following increases in the prices for British home-produced pigs in December, 1951, and April, 1952.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state what was the schedule of prices payable by the British Ministry of Food for fat cattle imported from Ireland for slaughter on 1st January, 1948; what changes were made in the schedule between 1st January, 1948, and the coming into operation of the 1948 Trade Agreement; and what changes have been made in the schedule from time to time under that agreement from 1948 to date.
Mr. Walsh
The schedules of prices on and from 1st January, 1948, to 31st March, 1951, will be found in the annual reports of my Department for the years 1947-48, Table XLIII; 1948-49, Table XLIV; 1949-50, Table XLIII; and 1950-51, Table XL. I am sending the Deputy the schedules for 1951-52 and 1952-53.
To set out in full the particulars asked for by the Deputy would take up many pages of complicated figures, all of which are already set out in these reports. I think it would be unreasonable to ask me to copy them out once more when they are so readily available in printed form.
asked the Minister for Agriculture on what basis are prices payable by the British Ministry of Food for (1) carcase beef; (2) carcase mutton and lamb; and (3) carcase pork and what variations, if any, have taken place in prices since the agreed basis was established.
Mr. Walsh
As regards the first part of the question the prices payable for (1) carcase beef, and (2) carcase mutton and lamb are based on the dressed carcase-weight prices payable for live fat cattle and live fat sheep and lambs, respectively, at appropriate differentials in each case. (3) The prices payable for pork carcases are fixed in the pigs and bacon agreement made with the Ministry in 1951, on the basis indicated in my reply to a question by Deputy Lehane on 5th June.
As regards the second part of the question, particulars of the prices payable for carcase beef in 1948-49, 1949-50 and 1950-51 and for carcase mutton and lamb in 1949-50 and 1950-51 will be found in the annual reports of my Department for those years (pages 17 and 20 of the report for 1948-49, page 18 of the report for 1949-50 and pages 20 and 21 of the report for 1950-51). I am sending the Deputy particulars of the prices payable in each case in 1951-52 and for carcase mutton and lamb in 1952-53. The prices for carcase beef in 1952-53 have not yet been settled with the British Ministry of Food. Since the pigs and bacon agreement was made increases in the prices payable for pork carcases took place as indicated for pigs and bacon in the reply to Question No. 44.