HC Deb 03 May 1967 vol 746 cc521-2
19. Mr. Kitson

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what undertakings he has received from the Irish Government on the marketing at fair prices of beef cattle exported from that country.

Mr. Peart

I cannot yet add to my reply of 28th April to the hon. Member for Westmorland (Mr. Jopling).—[Vol. 745. c. 353.]

Mr. Kitson

Would the right hon. Gentleman tell us what discussions he has had so that we do not have a debacle like that in the meat industry last autumn?

Mr. Peart

I have had discussions and a statement was made about my visit to Dublin. I am to see the Irish Minister again very shortly.

Sir Knox Cunningham

Since the United Kingdom taxpayers are pumping over £10 million a year into Eire agriculture, have we no right to some undertaking, particularly with regard to the subsidised Eire dead meat trade?

Mr. Peart

The hon. and learned Gentleman is rather jaundiced about this for obvious reasons. I understand his prejudices, but he must remember that we had an Anglo-Eire Agreement which we tried to follow in spirit. Where there are difficulties like this, I make my views and those of the Government well known.

Mr. Godber

But the right hon. Gentleman must be aware that this is a matter not of prejudices but of hard fact, affecting the British farmer and the British taxpayer and that, under the agreement for which he is responsible, the British taxpayer is paying a lot of money and the British farmer was harmed last autumn. Would the right hon. Gentleman say something about that?

Mr. Peart

As I have said repeatedly, hon. Gentlemen opposite did not oppose the Irish Trade Agreement. I have made my position clear on Irish fats. I objected to the export subsidy.

Mr. J. E. B. Hill

As the imposition of the Irish subsidy came as a surprise to the Government, should not a vigilant Minister of Agriculture have foreseen this possibility and assured a prior condition in this respect before approving the Agreement?

Mr. Peart

I am not a soothsayer or involved in magic of the kind the hon. Gentleman thinks a Minister should be. Immediately I knew of it, I made my views known strongly, unlike my predecessors.

Mr. Elystan Morgan

Would my hon. Friend not agree that the Irish Agreement is far from being a one-sided bargain, in that there are substantial industrial benefits which this country will have in the next seven years?

Mr. Peart

I thought that the Trade Agreement was good for both countries and I am surprised that at this late stage, when it is operating, hon. Members should continually snipe at the Irish.

Sir Knox Cunningham

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that Reply, I beg to give notice that I will seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment as soon as possible.