asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of tractors purchased during the first and second six months of 1979 and up to the latest available date in 1980; the reasons for the reduction to date in 1980; and the action the Government intend to take to rectify the position.
Written Answers. - Tractor Purchases.
120.
Figures of total tractor purchases are not available. The numbers of first-time registrations for use on the public road in the first and second six-month periods of 1979 were 4,854 and 3,955 respectively. The latest figures available for 1980 are for the period January to March in which 2,960 tractors were registered. This latter figure is higher than for the corresponding three months of 1979.