asked the Minister for Agriculture the reason farmers living in disadvantaged areas engaged in mixed farming of sheep and cattle are not receiving the full subsidies of £1,820 for sheep and cattle; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Area Farmers.
600.
An applicant in the Disadvantaged Areas in both the Cattle Headage and Sheep Headage Schemes in 1981 could be paid on a total of 30 livestock units (equivalent to 200 ewes) between both schemes.
An applicant with 200 ewes could be paid the maximum payable of £1,750 (not £1,820) — i.e. payment at a rate of £9.50 on 150 ewes and at a rate of £6.50 on the remaining 50 ewes.
An applicant with less than 200 ewes but with enough cattle to bring the total livestock units up to 30 could not be paid the maximum of £1,750 because the rate of payment on cattle was not as favourable as on sheep. For example, an applicant with 160 ewes (24 livestock units) and six livestock units on the cattle side could be paid £1,490 for sheep (150×£9.50+10×£6.50) and £192 on the cattle side (6×£32, the rate payable per cattle livestock unit), i.e. £1,682 in all.
In a small number of cases where an applicant who applied under both schemes was paid on the cattle livestock units first instead of being paid on the sheep at the more favourable rate, the Department will recalculate the grant and pay the balance due.