§ 13. Mr. Marlowasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in what areas of agricultural policy he is seeking powers to obtain discretion for the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. JoplingThe Government will continue to pursue the policies, both domestically and in the European Community, which are in the long-term interests of our agriculture industry and beneficial for the country as a whole.
§ Mr. MarlowAs I believe that some time next week there is to be an election, will my right hon. Friend do himself a favour by giving an undertaking to our dairy farmers that if, at any stage, there is a risk that we will be forced to import liquid milk from the Irish Republic, he will unilaterally increase our quota?
§ Mr. JoplingAlready there are arrangements, which have been going for a long time, for milk and milk products to be imported from other parts of the Community 441 and outside it. As, I believe, something is happening next week, my hon. Friend might like to know that since we joined the Common Market our agricultural output has increased by 14 per cent. in volume, our agricultural productivity per person has increased by 49 per cent., our agricultural exports have increased by 77 per cent. and our self-sufficiency in temperate foods has increased by 24 per cent. That sounds like pretty good medicine.