HC Deb 18 April 1972 vol 835 cc214-6
11. Mr. Edwin Wainwright

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent joining the European Economic Community will affect the powers of the Agricultural Wages Board.

Mr. Peter Mills

The powers of the board will not be affected.

Mr. Wainwright

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that agricultural workers are very much afraid that if we go into the EEC the real value of their low wages will be greatly affected? Does not he consider that the present rate of wages paid to them is far too low? Will he consider giving an extra subsidy to the farmers to make certain that they can pay better wages to their workers?

Mr. Mills

The agricultural workers can rest assured that there will be no change. The board will go on doing its work. The future for the agricultural workers is surely best secured by a prosperous home agriculture, which my right hon. Friend is certainly providing.

Mr. Adam Butler

Does not my hon. Friend agree that the increased incomes that farmers will obtain from going into the Common Market will make it easier for them to pay higher wages in future?

Mr. Mills

Yes, Sir. I could not agree more. I am sure that this is a chance we ought to take and that it will benefit the whole of agriculture—by which I mean both farmers and farm workers.

21. Mr. Scott-Hopkins

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many civil servants in his Department are being trained in European Economic Community practices to undertake work in Brussels after 1st January, 1973; and whether they are proficient in at least one European language other than English.

Mr. Prior

Officers with responsibilities in connection with the EEC are being given appropriate training. This has included special courses at the Ecole Nationale ďAdministration in Paris and other training organised by the Civil Service College and my Department. Many officers are being given intensive training in appropriate languages. It is not possible at this stage to say how many of my Department's officers will eventually undertake work in Brussels.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is of the utmost importance that we should have the highest possible calibre of officials in Brussels once we have acceded to the Treaty and that these officials should be fully conversant with the Continental practice of interpretation of the regulations of the Treaty in a way which seems to make all the difference, certainly in some Continental countries, in respect of their national interests? Will he take special care to see that we have the very highest quality of people available?

Mr. Prior

Yes, Sir. There are two different problems involved. There are those who are members of the Commission and there are those who are members of the Civil Service and who will do the work for this country. On the whole, we think that those people—the latter—can probably best serve the country by being based here and going over to Brussels. They must know the languages, and they must know what they are talking about.

Mr. Alfred Morris

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many Ministers in his Department are proficient in foreign languages, and in which languages?

Mr. Prior

I am not absolutely certain which languages my hon. Friends speak, but I know that the Minister of State can speak fluent French because I have heard him late in the evening.