asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the sheep premium is now paid in respect of lambs instead of sheep; his views on whether this method of payment is to the disadvantage of the small mountain sheep farmer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Mountain lambs were eligible for sheep headage under the disadvantaged areas schemes prior to 1981. Payments of sheep headage since then and of the EC premium since 1980 have been restricted to ewes and it is not proposed to change the present basis of payment from ewes to lambs. In the circumstances, the question of whether payment on lambs is to the disadvantage of the small mountain farmer does not arise.