WELSH AGRICULTURE

That this House registers its profound concern at the current plight of livestock farmers in Wales and elsewhere which has led to the recent demonstrations at Holyhead and Fishguard; regrets the use of illegal action but notes that the strength of sterling, coming on top of the BSE crisis, inhibits exports and encourages imports and reduces the value of support payments, and that the combination of these factors is causing a catastrophic decline in farm incomes which threatens not only the livelihood of thousands of farmers but also the communities which depend upon them; and calls upon the Government, recognising the extreme gravity of the crisis, to respond by reversing the cuts in hill livestock compensatory allowances, accessing European funds designed to compensate for green pound revaluation and redoubling its efforts to raise the unjustified ban on beef exports.