Question
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for what reasons 1996 has been used as the basis for the 1998 suckler cow payments.
Answer
Mr. Levitt: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons 1996 has been used as the basis for the 1998 suckler cow payments. [37092] Mr. Rooker: We are required by EU rules to make payments of agrimonetary compensation on the basis of past production. Since the first of the revaluations concerned here took place in January 1997, compensation relates to the 1996 Suckler Cow Premium year. This applies only to agrimonetary compensation payments, not to the normal 1998 suckler cow payments, which will be made as usual on the basis of 1997 claims.