§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what legal safeguards exist within the member countries of the European Economic Community to protect the welfare of farm animals comparable with existing legislation in the United Kingdom; and if he will give an assurance that in the event of harmonisation of the appropriate regulations within an enlarged European Economic Community the Government will refuse to allow any relaxation of present United Kingdom safeguards.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartWe do not possess information which would enable a comparison to be made with United Kingdom legislation, and we know of no proposal at present for harmonisation of welfare legislation. If this were attempted we should aim to maintain at least the existing safeguards.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what statistical information relating to production costs is available to the European Economic Community Agricultural Ministers when deciding whether to make changes in the level of agricultural prices for the following year; and what statistical information is available to the United Kingdom Minister of Agriculture before the Annual Review and Determination of Guarantees.
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§ Mr. Anthony StodartWhen fixing the level of agricultural prices each year the Council of Ministers of the Community have before them information provided by the Commission on year-to-year changes in major farm costs and other data on the economic situation of agriculture. Information derived from an extensive survey of farm accounts data in the Community is being obtained, but no results have yet been published. For the United Kingdom Annual Review, information on production costs is available from the Farm Management Survey and enterprise cost studies carried out by universities and colleges of agriculture, from subsidy claims and from specific inquiries by the Agricultural Departments.