§ 8. Mr. Stodartasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made in considering the level of minimum import prices for cereals; and if he will make a statement.
§ 28. Mr. Priorasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on cereals minimum import prices.
§ Mr. Cledwyn HughesNegotiations with supplying countries have not yet been finalised, but I hope to be able to make an announcement in the next fortnight with a view to bringing the new levels of minimum import prices into operation from 1st August.
§ Mr. StodartIs the Minister aware of growing and reasonable indignation at the chaos and confusion in the grain market among those taking part in it, and the nullifying effect of this upon one of the main duties of the Home Grown Cereals Authority, to register advance contracts? Can he say why he is clinging to the rather tattered remnants of his predecessor's policy instead of bringing himself up to date with a levy system?
§ Mr. HughesThe hon. Gentleman should know, from his experience in the Ministry, that agreements negotiated by the previous Government with four main supplying countries—the Argentine, Australia, Canada and the United States —prevent us from making an increase in the general level of minimum import prices without their consent. We have been negotiating, we are now coming to a conclusion and I will make an announcement shortly. We have been working as hard as possible to achieve this conclusion.
§ Mr. PriorOn the right hon. Gentleman's last point, surely it cannot be to the advantage of the countries which he mentioned that Britain should continue to run an adverse balance of payments of £500 million or £600 million a year? How can we go on with this ridiculous position of paying more for imports than we need?
§ Mr. HughesThe hon. Gentleman must realise that what we have been doing is adhering to agreements which the Government which he supported entered into.