HL Deb 12 December 1977 vol 387 cc1855-6

2.55 p.m.

Lord MOTTISTONE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the latest position regarding the extension of the application of monetary compensatory amounts to certain finished food products beyond 31st December 1977.

Lord STRABOLGI

My Lords, a Commission regulation extending the application of these monetary compensatory amounts beyond 31st December 1977 for an indefinite period was published in the Official Journal No. 308 of 1st December. The Commission will, however, review the situation not later than 30th June 1978.

Lord MOTTISTONE

My Lords, while I thank the noble Lord for his Answer, may I ask him whether the Government opposed the regulation when it came up for discussion?

Lord STRABOLGI

Yes, certainly, my Lords. We strongly opposed the draft proposal when it was first presented to the Management Committee on 3rd November. We argued that the issue needed detailed consideration because of the risk to our exports of manufactured foods. As a result, the Commission postponed a vote until a later meeting to enable a review to be made. The Resolution was eventually put to the vote on 22nd November and, although opinion was divided, I regret to say that the result led the Commission to proceed with the proposal.

Lord SANDYS

My Lords, I wonder whether a copy of the Official Journal No. 308 is available in your Lordships' Library?—because these publications are sometimes difficult to obtain.

Lord STRABOLGI

My Lords, I will check the position and will see that a copy is put there if there is not one there already.

Lord MOTTISTONE

My Lords, taking the noble Lord on from his earlier answer, does he think it reasonable that, when there was a very doubtful vote, the Commission should in the first place have gone ahead with the regulation? Does he also think it reasonable that the Commission should have the power to do this when, as I understand it, the vote was very split, if I may use that expression, and when the majority were probably in favour of cancelling the regulation rather than continuing it?

Lord STRABOLGI

My Lords, certainly there was strong opposition, but not enough to constitute a negative opinion from the Committee. In these circumstances, the rules of the Community permit the Commission to go ahead without reference to the Council. I may say that any changes to these procedures would require major amendments to the Community's agricultural legislation and would not necessarily be in the interests of the United Kingdom overall.

Lord MOTTISTONE

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that those people in the food processing industry who are affected by this are deeply grateful to the Government for the efforts they have been making to find a rational solution to this problem?

Lord STRABOLGI

My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord.