§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, now that the Treaty of Accession to the Rome Treaty has been signed, he is able to state the estimated Exchequer cost of the special help which is to be given to the horticultural, agricultural and fruit industries by way of compensation to offset the adverse effects to these industries on Great Britain joining the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartNo.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent, on entry into the European Economic Community, the present rules and restrictions imposed by Great Britain on the import and transport of animals and cattle will have to be altered; and whether he can give an assurance that all present restrictions to prevent rabies will still be possible when Great Britain enters the Common Market.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartOur precautions against rabies will not be affected when we join the Common Market. In reply to the first part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on 18th January to Questions by my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Charles Morrison) and others.—[Vol. 829, c. 195–7.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the European Economic Community Regulations establishing a common organisation of the Community's seed market affecting the common rules covering dryhusked vegetables, hybrid maize, oil seeds, and fruit and other seeds for sowing will apply to Great Britain on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community; and how this will affect the British seed growing industry.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartSubject to arrangements for the transitional period, the regulations on the common organisation of markets for seeds would apply to the United Kingdom as to any other member country. Although a regulation affecting in particular hybrid maize seed386W and certain herbage seeds has been made by the Community, it is not yet in operation and at this stage it is not possible to assess its possible effects on the interests of the British seed growers. These interests will be among those borne in mind in any consultations with the Community concerning this regulation.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he will not publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a revised estimate of entry on the cost of living as set out in paragraph 88 of the White Paper, The United Kingdom and the European Economic Community, Cmnd. Paper No. 4715, using as the basis the cost of living index figure in Great Britain as at 1st December, 1971, and comparable figures with the European Economic Community at that date.
§ Mr. PriorBecause comparisons of existing cost of living index figures are not a satisfactory basis for estimating the effect of entry on the cost of living in the United Kingdom.