§ 7. Mr. Phil Hope (Corby)When he expects to open the pig industry restructuring scheme to applicants. [131268]
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Ms Joyce Quin)The outgoers element of the pig industry restructuring scheme will be opened to applicants immediately following European Commission clearance of the scheme. The ongoers element for those who wish to remain in pig production will involve preparing a commercially acceptable business plan. We are pressing the Commission to provide overall clearance as quickly as possible.
§ Mr. HopeI thank my right hon. Friend for that reply and for recently meeting farmers—and pig farmers in particular—from my constituency. It was helpful. We are pursuing some of the concerns, but she will be aware that the Tory legacy of BSE has imposed production costs on the pig industry of more than £5 per pig, which has made it far harder for the industry to compete.
The pig industry restructuring scheme has come as welcome news to the pig industry in my constituency. As she said, it is in two parts: the outgoers element and the ongoers element. The key question for my local farmers is how quickly we can get on with it. They want to be assured that when applicants have made their applications for the grant element, those applications will be processed quickly—decisions should be made quickly—so that they can plan their futures. Can she assure me that decisions will be made in all possible haste once the scheme starts?
§ Ms QuinI can give my hon. Friend that assurance. I welcome the interest that he has taken in the industry and in putting forward the views of his constituents. We have sought to help the industry in a number of ways. I am glad that, in terms of the pig industry restructuring 1228 scheme, we are talking not just about the £26 million available this year, but the additional £40 million in the two following years.
We believe that we have sought to help the industry in all possible ways. Indeed, the House might be interested to know that the Ministry won its case in the judicial review that the pig industry initiated against us. We believe that we have acted correctly. We want to help—and believe that we are helping—the industry through the very bad times that it has experienced. We want a successful British pig industry for the future.
§ Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York)May I say a special thank you to you, Madam Speaker? You have been a brilliant role model for the ladies in the House, and you will be sorely missed.
Given that we have had the results of the judicial review, can the Minister tell us when she thinks pig fanners will know the result of the decisions referred to by the hon. Member for Corby (Mr. Hope)?
§ Ms QuinThe period concerned is likely to begin at the end of August, which marks the end of the period of consultation and clearance with the European Commission.
§ Mr. David Taylor (North-West Leicestershire)I shall not take up the House's time by referring to your warm, witty and wise time in the Chair, Madam Speaker.
Although the rise in pigmeat prices from less than 60p a kilogram in September 1998 to more than £1 a kilogram is welcome, there have been extensive losses in the last two years. The National Pig Association estimates that it will take seven years to recover those losses, even given the current price.
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the import ban suggested by the Conservative party constitutes an illegal cul-de-sac? Does she also agree that there should be major reform of the European labelling regime, which is not just inadequate but misleading and counter-productive?
§ Ms QuinMy hon. Friend is right: the suggested ban would be an illegal and, indeed, dangerous cul-de-sac, given that we export pigmeat products and would risk retaliation if we took the Opposition's advice.
My ministerial colleagues have been actively dealing with the labelling issue. As a result of verification work in the Ministry, a number of misleading labels have been withdrawn and replaced by accurate descriptions. We have been active, and I believe that marketing, advertising and the practical help that we have given the pig industry are producing results. I welcome the recent firming of prices to which my hon. Friend referred.
Mr. James Pake (South-East Cambridgeshire)I associate myself with all that has been said about you, Madam Speaker, and about your stewardship in the Chair. I add my thanks.
Rumours abound that the Government might cut and run in October. If they are accurate, we may also be witnessing the last Question Time presided over by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Lest that should prove to be the case, I wish the right hon. Gentleman well in his future career.
1229 As we know, the pig outgoers scheme was the subject of debate between Ministers and the Commission throughout the early part of the year. It was announced at the end of March as part of the action plan. Now, four months on, the scheme has still not been agreed with Europe. No applications have been made, and until and unless the outgoers element is completed there will be no information for those remaining in the industry, and no opportunity for them to obtain any money. Can the Minister tell us when she expects outgoers to receive cheques, and when she expects there to be a scheme involving a sum for which those remaining in the industry can apply, and which will help them to continue?
§ Ms QuinI look forward to the Government helping agriculture and, indeed, other industries, both before and after the election, whenever it occurs.
We have been pursuing the matter speedily in Brussels. The hon. Gentleman knows what is involved in the procedures and the consultations. We have also done a great deal of preparatory work to ensure that, when clearance is received, we can start processing the outgoers bids as quickly as possible. We do not intend to be idle during the summer recess.