§ 6. Mr. Farrasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether in view of the urgent necessity to stimulate British agricultural exports, he will remove the present regulations which prevent the export of British pig meat to Denmark.
§ Mr. SoamesHer Majesty's Government impose no restrictions on the export of British pig meat to Denmark but my hon. Friend may have in mind the restrictions which are imposed on all imports of pig meat into Denmark. These are a matter for the Danish authorities, and I do not think that the present export prospects for British pig meat in the Danish market are sufficient to warrant any special representations at this stage.
§ Mr. FarrDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that it is a very onesided policy which allows the Danes to export to this country over half our bacon requirements? In view of the declared necessity to explore every export market for British agricultural goods, will my right hon. Friend see whether he can get the Danes to relax their present restrictions?
§ Mr. SoamesI am sure that my hon. Friend is aware of the fact that we are getting considerably increased opportunities for industrial exports to Denmark, under the Convention, but I do 907 not think that we can seriously expect to sell pig meat to the Danes until we can bring our costs of production down to the region of theirs.
§ Mr. FarrIs my right hon. Friend not aware that British processors claim that they can export British pig meat and put it on the Danish market at prices lower than those which the Danish producers are charging in their own market today?
§ Mr. SoamesThe fact is that our own pig producers are subsidised, whereas the Danish pig producers are not.