Britain to release £600m pay-out to farmers

British farmers affected by foot-and-mouth have been allocated more than £600 million sterling in various forms of compensation…

British farmers affected by foot-and-mouth have been allocated more than £600 million sterling in various forms of compensation.

British Agriculture Minister Mr Nick Brown is to announce the figure today in a statement to the Commons ahead of its Easter recess.

Mr Brown is expected to tell MPs more than £247 million of that figure is direct compensation for slaughtered animals.

The rest is made up of spending on animal welfare, and "agromoney" payments.

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The Minister will tell MPs while there are signs the culling policy is starting to bite the exponential growth in the number of cases originally feared by government scientists has not materialised there is still no room for complacency.

The minister is also expected to emphasise that although parliament is heading for its Easter recess the Whitehall and regional teams working on the disease will continue their efforts to control and eradicate the disease.

PA