§ Mr. Wattasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make representations to the European Commission to review the new EEC regulations for seed grain with a view to raising the standards for seed to the level previously set down under the voluntary British certification scheme.
§ Mr. StrangNo. These two standards serve quite different purposes. The mandatory EEC standard is designed to protect farmers in member countries by prescribing minimum qualities which 603W must be satisfied before the seed concerned can be marketed within the Community. In contrast the higher British standard to which the hon. Member refers, and which we are substantially retaining as a voluntary feature of our new certification scheme, is intended to help buyers here and abroad who want supplies of premium-quality British seed.