Hill Farming Incomes

EDM number 475 in 1997-98, proposed by Michael Jack on 18/11/1997.

That this House expresses its deep concern that since the debate on Threats to Rural Life and the Rural Economy on 4th November, the Minister of Agriculture has still failed to meet representatives of the territorial farming unions to discuss the outcome of the annual review of hill farm incomes and, as a consequence, has turned his face from the impact on hill farmers of removing ú60 million from their incomes, when he knows that the annual hill farm income assessment confirms falls in hill farm returns, due to livestock prices at significantly lower levels than last year; and calls upon the Minister to use the financial flexibility afforded to him through the underspend on the sheep annual premium and its consequential increase to the United Kingdom of the Fontainebleau rebate, to request the Chancellor to allow him to set hill livestock conpensatory rates for 1998 at levels which properly reflect the projected fall in hill farm incomes.

This motion has been signed by a total of 28 MPs.