§ 1. Mr. Gouldasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to protect the English wine industry in the light of the EEC policy of restricting production.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Gavin Strang)I appreciate the concern of vine growers in the United Kingdom on this point, and I shall have their interests fully in mind when the question is discussed in the Council of Ministers in September.
§ Mr. GouldDoes my hon. Friend agree that the Commission's proposals for dealing with the Community wine surplus, especially the ban on future planting, are entirely inappropriate to the tiny but growing English wine industry? Does he accept that the mere existence of a Community surplus, whether in wine, dairy products, or glasshouse products, is not necessarily a good reason for restricting British production? Is this not one of the disadvantages of trying to operate a Community market in these products?
§ Mr. StrangI agree with my hon. Friend. The United Kingdom wine industry is infinitesimal in relation to the Community industry and it would be quite inappropriate if the ban on plantings were to be applied to the United Kingdom. On my hon. Friend's latter point, we would not expect production to be restricted in this country if we could produce more efficiently than our counterparts in the Community.
§ Mr. MartenHow is it that proposals like this can go forward from the Commission without any derogation on behalf of our own wine industry? Is it that representations on behalf of the industry were not made with adequate strength to the Commission?
§ Mr. StrangWith his great knowledge of these matters, the hon. Member will know that they are discussed fully in the Community. There is a special meeting of the Council of Ministers on 9th September to discuss this matter. At an official level we are in constant touch with the Commission, and we expect a satisfactory solution in September.