I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 24 together.
The number of reactor cattle slaughtered in meat factories in 1982 was 41,100 animals comprising 25,995 cows and incalf heifers and 15,105 other cattle. I am not at liberty to give details of slaughterings at each meat plant as this information relates to the commercial operations of individual companies. Information on factory payments for all reactors is not available to my Department but reactor compensation payments by the Department totalled £5.78 million.
The present system of disposal of reactor cattle has been in operations since 1976 and allows herd owners to make arrangements, to their own best advantage, for the sale of their infected cattle. As to the prices paid by factories for reactor animals, these are essentially determined in an open-market situation over which I have no control. In addition to receiving the value of the reactor animals from the factories, herd owners can of course qualify for generous reactor grants from my Department.