Reform (Hansard, 24 June 1981)

§ 45. Mr. Farr
asked the Lord Privy Seal what time scale is planned for the implementation of the European Council's decisions on institutional reform of the European Economic Community.

§ Sir Ian Gilmour
No deadline has been set, but we intend, during the United Kingdom Presidency, to implement those proposals which are agreed as soon as it is appropriate to do so.

§ Mr. Farr
Will my right hon. Friend assure the House that the reforms that are needed will be accelerated as soon as possible doming the British Presidency and that we shall aim to draw attention to the absurd situation in which the most costly foods in the world are made available to Communist countries at the taxpayers' expense.

§ Sir Ian Gilmour
On the first question, I agree with my hon. Friend, and we shall try to speed things up as much as possible. As my hon. Friend knows, these are fundamental matters, and it may take some time.
On the second question, my hon. Friend will know that the Government's position is clear. We are opposed to the export of subsidised food to Russia.

§ Mr. Spearing
Will the Lord Privy Seal confirm that two major proposals for reform of the CAP and the budget may well be expected during the British Presidency of the Council? Will he undertake to produce the Government's responses to these proposals prior to any debate that ought to take place in the House before those proposals are discussed by representatives on the Council?

§ Sir Ian Gilmour
As I have already told the House, and as the hon. Gentleman will be aware, the Commission is producing its proposals this afternoon. I do not believe that it would be right for the Government to set out their negotiating position in a White Paper. It is probably not very good negotiating tactics when negotiating with one party, but when negotiating with nine parties and the Commission I am sure that it is not the right way in which to proceed.

§ Mr. Whitney
Will my right hon. Friend confirm that the Government will approach the proposals of the Commission in a positive and constructive manner, and that these proposals are likely to contain many aspects of interest and positive advantage to the United Kingdom, and other factors which were not mentioned or apparently considered by his right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food?

§ Sir Ian Gilmour
I did not quite follow my hon. Friend's reference to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. My hon. Friend will appreciate that we have only just received the Commission's report, which is a complex and important document. We shall be approaching it in a positive spirit. Obviously, we shall have to study the report very carefully. We greatly appreciate the efforts that the Commission has made.

§ Mr. Denzil Davies
Is it not the case that the traditional role of the Presidency is to seek compromises—and sometimes rather wet compromises—between all member States, and not to push the interests of the member State that happens to be holding the Presidency? In view of that, does it not follow that having the Presidency of the Commission will mean that we shall be less able to stand up and fight for British interests?

§ Sir Ian Gilmour
I do not know what conclusions cart be drawn from that question, except that perhaps the right hon. Gentleman thinks that we should have decided not to accept the Presidency. In any event, he will be aware that under his Government the Presidency was not a raging success. We shall hope to do better. But, as I stated in one of my earlier answers, to which the right hon. Gentleman may not have listened, it is the primary job of the Presidency to further Community business.