asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware of the dissatisfaction in the disadvantaged areas regarding the changes introduced by him which curtail the subsidies payable in cattle headage and sheep subsidy grants for 1981-1982; and if he will reinvestigate the matter with a view to restoring confidence among farmers in these areas.
Written Answers. - Headage Payments.
244.
I do not accept that the changes in the headage payments announced by me in July have caused dissatisfaction in the disadvantaged areas. Less than 1,700 farmers out of the total of 94,000 benefitting from the headage payments will receive less for 1981 than they received for 1980 because of the extension of the maximum limit to include sheep payments. On the other hand, sheep producers generally are benefitting very significantly from the substantial increase which I made in the sheep headage rate. To give an example, a farmer with 100 ewes and 15 adult cattle will receive £1,402 under this year's schemes compared to £952 last year and to £1,102 under the 1981 headage rates announced by the previous Government.