Agricultural Support

HC Deb 06 May 1963 vol 677 cc5-7

7. Mr. Hooson

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration he is giving to the need for far reaching reform of the agricultural support system in order to provide a managed market for both home production and imports from the European Free Trade Association, the Commonwealth and other areas.

8. Mr. Peart

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the conclusions of his recent discussions with representatives of the agree cultural industry.

28. Mr. Harold Davies

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what decision he has now reached about the Future position of British agriculture in relationship to the European Economic Community and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Mr. Soames

Our present system of agricultural support is basically sound but needs to be adapted to the conditions of today, particularly in order to bring greater stability to our market prices. As we said in this year's Annual Review White Paper, the Government will be discussing its proposals with the leaders of the agricultural industry and with Commonwealth and other overseas suppliers. For the latter purpose we shall take advantage of the various international meetings which are beginning this month.

I will inform the House about the general lines of our proposals as soon as I am in a position to do so.

Mr. Hooson

In view of that Answer. may we take it that the Minister is still an advocate of the managed market as he was before the breakdown of the Common Market negotiations?

Mr. Soames

During the Common Market negotiations I was explaining to our farmers that the managed market was perfectly capable of providing adequate returns for the agricultural industry. That is quite different in the context of the Common Market, on the one hand, and the context of this country not being a member of the Common Market, or, the other.

Mr. Peart

Will the right hon. Gentleman not Le wooed by Liberal concepts and the Liberal Party in the sphere of agriculture? Is he not aware that it has been state) already that the producers and the Minister have agreed in principle as a result of conversations at Ministry level? Wi11 he confirm this? Will he indicate which organisations in the industry will be consulted on policy? Will it be only the farmers' unions or will it include the agricultural workers' union, corn merchants and other people representing consumer interests? Will the right hon. Gentleman make a statement now?

Mr. Soames

I am not in a position to make any further statement today. As I said in my Answer, I shall inform the House about the general lines as soon as I am in a position to do so. Of course, the Government must reserve the right to have what conversations they feel right in home interests.

Sir H. Harrison

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind during these talks that a very large body of opinion in agricultural circles in this country favours, in changed world conditions, import controls and regulation by duty or quotas, and that this would be very much in line with traditional Conservative policy?

Mr. Soames

I am aware of the interest to which the hon. Gentleman refers.