HC Deb 07 December 1971 vol 827 cc1103-8
8. Mr. Hicks

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give a progress report on the discussions that are taking place between representatives of the horticultural industry and officials of his Department on the subject of possible Government assistance to those sections of that industry that could be adversely affected as a direct consequence of United Kingdom membership of the European Economic Community.

Mr. Prior

The exploratory talks which my officials had with the National Farmers' Union before the Parliamentary vote in favour of joining the E.E.C. are continuing.

Mr. Hicks

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the genuine apprehension felt not only by growers of apples and pears but by growers of early strawberries, and particularly by those in scattered and isolated rural areas such as the Tamar Valley, where any decline in this industry would have adverse social as well as economic repercussions?

Mr. Prior

Yes, Sir. I am well aware of the point my hon. Friend makes, particularly about Tamar Valley strawberry growers. It is too early yet to say how the negotiations which we are having with the National Farmers Union will turn out. Some of the problems in areas like the Tamar Valley are not caused by the import of strawberries but by new ways of producing strawberries in other parts of Britain.

Mr. J. T. Price

If we can get away from the Tamar Valley for a moment—

Sir G. Nabarro

Why?

Mr. Price

—and from the Vale of Evesham, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to note that in Lancashire we have possibly the biggest section of the agricultural industry in Britain under glass and that I am informed by the N.F.U. in Lancashire that if the terms of entry into the E.E.C. are carried out in accordance with the prospective treaty arrangements with the Six, the industry in Lancashire will be completely crippled? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the fear of the Lancashire industry of the dire prospects that are likely if the Government's policies in this matter are carried out, fears that have been expressed in letters to me and which I will willingly give the right hon. Gentleman?

Mr. Prior

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will send me the letters—

Mr. Price

The right hon. Gentleman already knows about this.

Mr. Prior

—and I will do my best to give him an answer. However, I do not believe that the defeatist attitude which he and some of his growers are taking is borne out by the attitude of the industry as a whole.

9. Mr. Strang

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received regarding the latest developments in the fisheries negotiations with the European Economic Community.

Mr. Prior

I received a letter yesterday from the Fisheries Organisation Society Limited, on behalf of the inshore fishermen of England and Wales, emphasising views they had previously expressed to me.

Mr. Strang

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a letter which the Prime Minister is reported to have sent to the Norwegian Prime Minister prior to the last set of negotiations suggests that Her Majesty's Government are more concerned with completing the fisheries negotiations in time to sign the Treaty of Accession than they are about getting the best possible deal for our fishermen? May we be assured that the Government will not accept an agreement on fishery limits which is of temporary duration and will press for a 12-mile limit?

Mr. Prior

I totally refute the first part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question. We have had constant Questions and answers about this problem—

Mr. Arthur Lewis

Not answers, just Questions.

Mr. Prior

—and the negotiations are still continuing. No decision was reached at Brussels a week ago, and I think it is better to leave it at that.

Mr. Nott

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the growing admiration and respect for the strong and determined efforts which the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Minister are taking in protecting this country's inshore industry?

Mr. Prior

If hon. Gentlemen opposite would see the fishermen they would hear exactly the same thing.

Mr. Cledwyn Hughes

Will the right hon. Gentleman confirm that he is still approaching these negotiations in the manner of a joint approach with Norway, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland? Will Her Majesty's Government continue to press for a 12-mile limit as a matter of principle, if necessary independently of Norway? In other words, if Norway opts out, will Her Majesty's Government continue to press for a 12-mile limit?

Mr. Prior

Our approach is a joint approach with Norway, Ireland and Denmark and we shall hope to continue in that way. It would be a great mistake to be hypothetical on what may happen if any of these countries should fall out. We hope that that will not be the case.

10. Mr. Peter Mills

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes in policy have taken place recently in the common agricultural policy and what will be the effect of these changes and future trends.

Mr. Prior

There have been no such changes since the Council decided last March to introduce measures to improve the structure of agriculture, which have yet to be implemented.

Mr. Mills

Does my right hon. Friend not agree that there are bound to be changes, with four new members coming into the Community, and that we have a part to play in these changes? Does he agree that, in any of these changes, the basic principles of British agriculture, such as the Milk Marketing Board, the hill cow subsidy, and the like, which we hold dear, must be maintained?

Mr. Prior

Yes.

Mr. Deakins

Is it not a fact that food prices in the Community are going up and that this gives the lie to the confident prediction of the Government's Common Market White Paper that the gap between world food prices and those likely to be encountered in the Community was getting narrower?

Mr. Prior

No. In fact, exactly the reverse is true. The gap is getting narrower and has been getting narrower since the publication of the White Paper, but much will depend in the next few months on what happens in the Community.

16. Mr. Hardy

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made in the negotiations being conducted by his Department in seeking to ensure that the Six accept British standards of hygiene and humanity in the treatment of farm animals.

Mr. Anthony Stodart

These matters have not formed part of the present negotiations.

Mr. Hardy

Is the Minister aware of the widespread concern about this matter? Will he not make it clear to the Six that our standards of hygiene and humanity are high and frequently much higher than the standards applying in the Six? Can he give a clear assurance that when harmonisation takes place it will not have an adverse effect on practices currently very satisfactory, or approaching that, in Britain?

Mr. Stodart

As to hygiene, I believe that on many matters the standards in the Community are as high as ours. On animal welfare, there is a convention before the Council of Europe on this matter of intensive rearing and we shall help to draft that, if we join. I certainly hope that we would allow no lessening of the standards we have at present.

Mr. Marten

As we have had to give way on so many points about the Common Market, could we not make this a test case on the question of humanity and say that we will not go in until they amend their rules to our standards?

Mr. Stodart

Until we see what the convention is, I think that that is a hypothetical question.

Mr. Pardoe

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that animal welfare conditions in Europe are much more lax than here? Will he make it clear here and now that ours are right and theirs are wrong and, if no change can be brought about in their conditions, will he ensure that there are adequate tariffs to protect British farmers who have to conform to higher standards?

Mr. Stodart

I hope that we shall take possibly a slightly more liberal approach than that.

Mr. Cledwyn Hughes

Will the Minister state clearly that the aim of the Government will be to obtain harmonisation up to the standard of our animal welfare codes and not to be satisfied with less?

Mr. Stodart

I said in my first answer that I was most concerned that we should not allow any lessening of the standards that we have.

27. Mr. Deakins

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he proposes to use to control the level of the United Kingdom pig population during any transitional period before European Economic Community membership.

Mr. Anthony Stodart

It is proposed to continue existing measures which form part of the guarantee arrangements for pigs prior to accession and into the transitional period.

Mr. Deakins

Can the hon. Gentleman assure us that the flexible guarantee arrangements for pigs will continue unamended until such time as they can be replaced by equally effective safeguards as part of Community legislation?

Mr. Stodart

The changes in the guarantee are a matter for the next Price Review. We shall adopt the Community system in the first year of membership, and as market prices are increased farmers will increasingly get their return from the market, and deficiency payments will be phased out. The details of this are still to be worked out.