HC Deb 16 February 1999 vol 325 cc832-3

That this House takes note of the unnumbered Explanatory Memorandum, dated 20th November 1998, from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, relating to reform of the Common Market organisations for beef, cereals and milk and for the development of rural development policy in the European Union; and supports the Government's intention to negotiate an outcome which takes account of the interests of UK producers, consumers and taxpayers alike and of developing countries and to press for a reformed Common Agricultural Policy with substantially reduced overall costs. which is more economically rational, which reduces the bureaucratic burden on farmers, which provides a better framework for targeted environmental and rural development support, which contains fair and common rules to ensure that the UK's farm and food industries can exploit their competitive advantage in European and world markets, which facilitates the accession of associated countries and which offers the medium-term prospect of benefits to developing countries.—[Mr. Robert Ainsworth.]

Question agreed to.