§ 19. Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied with the operation of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement in so far as it affects the marketing of Irish fat and store cattle in this country; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PeartNeither the Anglo/Irish Free Trade Agreement nor the associated Agreement on Store Animals and Carcase Meat, includes any obligations specifically related to fat cattle. As for store cattle, the Irish Republic have undertaken to use their best endeavours, consistent with the circumstances of the trade, to ensure a certain minimum annual level of supply. But the Agreements have been in operation for only four months, and it is too early to judge 444 the working of the provisions on store cattle.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneWould not the Minister agree that the export subsidy given on fat cattle by the Irish Government amounts to dumping of fat cattle on the British market? Is it not quite inadequate to say that he has made representations to the Irish Government when this has had no effect in stopping these exports at all until the end of this month? What effect will this have on achieving the meat production target in the National Plan, or has that gone out of the window like the rest?
§ Mr. PeartI explained very fully on a previous Question the position on fat cattle and what the agreement really means, and I cannot go beyond that. I have answered very fully, and what I have said is very satisfactory.
§ Sir Knox CunninghamIs it true that under the Anglo-Eire Agreement the British taxpayer will be called to pay around £10 million a year for Eire agriculture?
§ Mr. PeartThe hon. and learned Member knows full well what the agreement means in relation to what will be paid on carcase meat and also the effect of shortening the period for stores from three months to two months. It does mean aid, but the hon. and learned Member is not against the agreement, and the Conservative Opposition approved it because they did not oppose it.
§ Mr. GodberThat is a really outrageous statement by the Minister. He knows about the opposition full well. Does he not know that the Opposition were very critical indeed? I criticised it in personal conversation and made speeches most strongly criticising it in the country.
§ Mr. PeartI hope then that the right hon. Gentleman will convey his views to his own leader, and I should like to know if the Tory Party is against the free trade agreement between Eire and this country. It has never expressed opposition in principle.
§ Mr. GodberIf the Minister challenges me on this I ask him to look at the speech I made in Shrewsbury on 7th January last. I shall remind him of it particularly tomorrow.
§ Mr. PeartThe right hon. Member does not then represent the views of Her Majesty's Opposition. I challenge the Leader of the Opposition to say that he will repeal the Anglo/Irish Agreement.
§ 22. Dr. Grayasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the British subsidy for beef cattle exported from Eire to this country is payable for dead carcasses or for cattle live on the hoof.
§ Mr. HoyUnder the Anglo Irish Free Trade Area Agreement, we undertook to pay annually a sum equivalent to the average U.K. guarantee payment on carcase beef imported from the Republic of Ireland up to a maximum of 25,000 tons.
§ Dr. GrayNorfolk farmers have complained that live Irish cattle which have attracted a double subsidy are being sold in Norfolk. Am I right in thinking that this will stop at the end of this month?
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkIs the Minister aware of the very serious situation in the dead meat industry in Northern Ireland, and can he say to what extent the agreement may be responsible for this? What is he doing about it?
§ Mr. HoyWe are aware of all these difficulties. I do not think that the agreement has really had this effect, but certainly when we come to consider these things we should obviously take every part of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, into consideration.