§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been 631W taken by the European Economic Community Council of Agriculture Ministers to curtail output of the products of Mediterranean agriculture.
§ Mr. MacGregorAt its meeting on 30–31 March the Council of Agriculture Ministers reached agreement in principle on the introduction of guarantee thresholds for products in surplus, products on which expenditure was rising rapidly and products likely to be in surplus. This agreement opens the way for any excess production of Mediterranean products to be curbed through the guarantee support arrangements of the common agricultural policy. At the same time guarantee thresholds were extended to cover durum wheat, dried grapes, all tomato products and sunflower seeds. The United Kingdom Government played a leading part in getting this new measure introduced and agreed. Full details of these measures and of prices for 1984–85 for all commodities covered by the CAP will be contained in a note by my Department, a copy of which will be deposited shortly in the Library of the House.