§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) when the field survey to finalise a marginal land scheme for submission to the EEC is to be completed;
357W(2) if he will publish the study of marginal land areas in Wales; if he will give special aid to farmers of such areas; and if he has had talks with representatives of the European Economic Community in order to take advantage of its less favoured areas directive.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsAs indicated in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 1 February 1980, it is hoped that the field work in England and Wales will be completed in 1981. There will be no report to publish and no undertaking can be given at this stage as to the outcome.
It will be necessary to have discussions with representatives of the European Economic Community before any extension of our less-favoured areas could be made.—[Vol. 977, c. 785–6.]