§ 17. Mr. Martenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it remains the Government's intention to accept the agricultural policy of the Common Market, in connection with Great Britain's application to join; and if he wil make a statement.
§ Mr. Cledwyn HughesI have nothing to add to what the predecessor of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said in his speech to the Council of Western European Union on 4th July, 1967.
§ Mr. MartenDoes the Minister recall the Prime Minister's pledge at Bristol in March, 1966, before the last General 1700 Election, that he would not crawl into the Common Market but would go in with his head held high and would not accept levies? He said just over a year later in the House that the levy system in the Common Market was not negotiable. How can the right hon. Gentleman reconcile those two irreconcilable statements? What is the Government's policy on levies?
§ Mr. HughesI could explain the position of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on this, but the hon. Gentleman should address his questions to my right hon. Friend.
§ Mr. GardnerWhat evidence is there that the common agricultural policy of the E.E.C. is proving all that satisfactory either to farmers or to consumers in Europe? If there is none, will not my right hon. Friend advise his right hon. Friends in the Cabinet to consider this seriously before proceeding with the application?
§ Mr. HughesThe Cabinet has, of course, considered this matter very carefully. As Minister of Food, I am conscious of the effect that a change to the E.E.C. system would have on, for example, food prices.