HC Deb 30 October 1986 vol 103 cc445-6
11. Mr. John Mark Taylor

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will indicate the business of the next meeting of the Agriculture Council of the European Community.

Mr. Jopling

The agenda for the next EC Agriculture Council is expected to include items on the reform of the beef regime and emergency measures in the milk sector as well as a number of internal market items.

Mr. Taylor

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Is he aware that he has a fight on his hands over the beef sector proposals and that it will be every bit as tough as the annual price-fixing round? Is he ready for that?

Mr. Jopling

Yes, Sir. We have been holding constructive discussions at an official level in the Community. I have made it clear that several of the beef proposals are unacceptable to us because of discrimination. I shall continue to resist them. [Interruption.] I think especially of the limit of 50 head for the proposed beef premium.

Mr. Speaker

Order. Will hon. Members please refrain from chatting, as I cannot hear.

Mr. Livsey

Does the Minister agree that retaining beef variable premiums is the best way of securing the beef industry for the years to come? As President, will he ensure that they will be maintained beyond the present financial year?

Mr. Jopling

I assure the hon. Gentleman that in our discussions so far the British delegation has made it clear that the variable beef premium system has served us well and has led to beef being eaten instead of being put into cold store. I am glad that the Commission has proposed a premium system. In the weeks ahead we shall work hard to amend the existing proposals on beef premiums so that they are more acceptable to us.

Sir Peter Mills

Will the Minister put before the Council the scandalous position of Irish beef exports to Britain? The Irish are getting a subsidy of £151 per cow. That cannot go on. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that there is a devaluation of our green pound in order to rectify the problem?

Mr. Jopling

My hon. Friend will be aware that we have made an official proposal to the Commission in Brussels that there should be a devaluation of the green pound, particularly in the beef sector, where massive distortions have arisen as a result of a 6 per cent. devaluation of the green punt. So far the Commission has not reacted to our request, but we continue to press very hard.

Mr. Home Robertson

Is the Minister aware that the all-time record butter mountains both in Britain and elsewhere in Europe will be a fitting monument for this British Presidency of the Council of Agriculture Ministers? Now that we have 2.4 million tonnes of butter and skimmed milk powder in intervention stores around the Community, will the Minister accept that a deteriorating butter mountain is not a good investment for the taxpayer and that we need positive incentives to restructure the dairy industry?

Before the Minister starts talking about the outgoers scheme, will he tell us exactly how many people have submitted applications for the scheme?

Mr. Jopling

So far we have had 750 inquiries from farmers to whom we have sent application forms. With regard to the hon. Gentleman's snide remarks at the beginning of his question regarding the size of the butter surplus, he will be aware that nobody has done more than successive Ministers in this Administration to try to bring the milk regime back to a degree of rationality and reality. Before the hon. Gentleman makes any more remarks of that sort he should look at the records to see in how many months during the time his party was in power the butter mountain reached record levels.