§ 20. Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he proposes to have with animal feed compounders regarding the European Economic Community regulations affecting that industry; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartConsultations on relevant E.E.C. measures are already in progress with trade associations representing compounders and other branches of the feedingstuffs industry. My Department will continue to work closely with the national organisations representing farming, the trade and enforcement authorities.
§ 26 and 40. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1), in view of the concern felt by the horticultural industry in general, and by the growers of cauliflowers in particular, over the adverse effects upon this type of British industry on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, what further action he has now taken, or intends taking, to offset the effects on this industry if Great Britain enters the European Economic Community; and what are the estimated costs to the Exchequer;
(2) whether he will make a statement on the undertaking he has given to the National Farmers' Union and the farming interests that the Government will give compensation to farmers and those in the agricultural industry who may be forced out of business or adversely affected by Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community; and what estimate he has made of the costs to the Exchequer for this compensation.
§ Mr. PriorI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 26th October. It is not yet possible to estimate the Exchequer cost of the special help to which I then referred.—[Vol. 823, c.299.]
§ 29. Mr. Eadieasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what 74W representations he has received from the farming community as a result of the decision of Parliament on the Common Market on Thursday, 28th October.
§ 33. Mr. Peter Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the production of milk and butter in the European Economic Community for each of the past four years.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartProduction of milk and butter in the European Economic Community in the past four years was as follows:
Milk million gallons Butter '000 metric tons 1967 15,509 1,315 1968 15,926 1,403 1969 15,861 1,349 1970 15,701 1,300
§ 35. Mr. Boscawenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the bacon sharing agreement should Great Britain enter the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. PriorThe future of the Bacon Market Sharing Understanding will be a matter for discussion in the context of enlargement of the E.E.C.
§ Mr. Molyneauxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the present arrangements to encourage an even flow of beef production in Northern Ireland throughout the year, by means of seasonality payments, are compatible with European Economic Community regulations.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe Fatstock Guarantee Scheme for fat cattle and its seasonal scale will be phased out during the transitional period and the question of compatibility does not arise. In addition the Northern Ireland Government makes seasonal headage payments on fat cattle. The compatibility of these particular grants in the enlarged Community cannot be established because the E.E.C. has not yet formalised its attitude to State aid or regional policy.
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§ Mr. Molyneauxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the present scheme for promotion of farm amalgamations in Northern Ireland is compatible with European Economic Community regulations.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartYes.
§ Mr. Molyneauxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements exist in each of the European Economic Community countries for the provision of cheap agricultural credit; and whether he has discussed with representatives of the Community the provision of agricultural credit in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartFor a description of the agricultural credit arrangements in the countries of the European Economic Community, I would refer my hon. Friend to Volume II of "Capital and Finance in Agriculture", published by the Organisation for European Co-operation and Development.
There has been no occasion so far to discuss the provision of agricultural credit in any part of the United Kingdom with representatives of the Community.
§ Mr. Molyneauxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether compensatory payments on livestock products under the European Economic Community agricultural policy will be calculated on the basis of product price or feedingstuff cost; and what arrangements will be made for an area like Northern Ireland with feedingstuff costs which are higher than in the rest of the United Kingdom and may cause the value of any compensatory payment to be significantly reduced.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe compensatory amounts during the transition will in general be related to product prices, except that for pigmeat, eggs and poultry they will be related to costs of feeding-stuffs. The detailed arrangements for calculating the compensatory amounts have yet to be settled with the Community.
§ Mr. Molyneauxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the present scheme for tuberculosis and brucellosis eradication in cattle in Northern Ireland will be safeguarded in the event of United Kingdom entry into the European Economic Community.
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§ Mr. Anthony StodartWe should be under no obligation to alter existing internal schemes for the control of tuberculosis and brucellosis in any part of the United Kingdom. Differences of detail, though not of purpose, between these schemes and those operating in the Community would, however, raise problems for our livestock trade with Community countries. These problems are among the matters which we are still negotiating and about which my right hon. Friend told the House during the debate on 21st October. I cannot at present add to the statement he then made.—[Vol. 823, c. 1031–2.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on his Ministerial announcement made in London on Wednesday, 3rd November, that Her Majesty's Government would press for the retention of the present fishing rights, including the 12-mile limit, on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. PriorI made no announcement on 3rd November, though I did meet representatives of the inshore industry to clarify points arising from the October debate.
§ Mr. Tilneyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will ensure, on entry into the European Economic Community, that British wines, which account for approximately a quarter of all wines consumed in the United Kingdom and which are made in the traditional way from concentrated grape juice imported either from the European Economic Community or countries associated with the European Economic Community, will continue to be permitted to be manufactured in Great Britain, and under the nomenclature of British wine.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartI have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend on 19th October.—[Vol. 823, c.86.]