HC Deb 30 March 1981 vol 2 cc8-9
9. Mr. Marlow

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is satisfied that the common agricultural policy provides an adequate arrangement to benefit Welsh farmers and Welsh consumers.

Mr. Wyn Roberts

The Government believe that membership of the European Community is essential for the well-being of the economy but will continue to press for changes in the CAP which will benefit consumers and taxpayers while safeguarding the interests of producers.

Mr. Marlow

We all believe that membership of the Community is important, but is the Welsh consumer currently satisfied with having to pay four times as much for his or her butter, three times as much for his or her beef and twice as much for his or her cereals as world market prices? Are the Welsh people as a whole satisfied with having to pay higher prices than they need to? Would not the Welsh farmer prefer to get his agricultural support from the United Kingdom rather than from the CAP, whereby we pay, not only for agricultural support for our own farmers, but for many Continental farmers as well?

Mr. Roberts

My hon. Friend is suggesting a return to deficiency payments. He was not in the Chamber when I said in answer to a previous question that it was a little early to speculate about the results of the current negotiations. I said that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will bear in mind the needs of consumers as well as those of producers and taxpayers.

Mr. Denzil Davies

As it is the Government's stated policy to defeat inflation, whatever that means, will the Minister give an assurance that the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will veto all price increases in Brussels at the present price fixing review, especially for products in surplus? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Tory Party's manifesto said that a Conservative Government would do so?

Mr. Roberts

I would not deign to interfere with the negotiations that my right hon. Friend is conducting.