§ Mr. Leighasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Council of Agriculture Ministers' meeting held in Brussels on 14–15 January.
§ Mr. JoplingTogether with my hon. Friend the Minister of State in my Department I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting.
The Commission proposed changes to the rules for milk quotas including one intended to meet my request for a provision allowing producers to exchange their direct sale and wholesale quotas. They also proposed, for 1984–85 only, that unused quota could be reallocated within a member state to producers, dairies or regions where deliveries exceed quotas. While reaffirming our commitment to an effective supplementary levy system, I gave a cautious welcome to these proposals which will now be examined in detail at official level.
On structures, the Italian presidency said that it would put forward a compromise covering all proposals on the table with a view to a decision being taken at the next meeting of the Council; I emphasised that any compromise must include satisfactory provisions on conservation.
Four measures were adopted providing for the same quantities of cattle and beef to be imported into the Community in 1985 on specially favourable terms as was permitted in 1984. This was a satisfactory outcome which will allow our processors and traders to secure beef of the qualities they need.
With three other colleagues I complained about the slow progress made by the Commission in dealing with the Dutch national aid on gas prices. The Commission undertook to expedite the matter.
The Council had a first discussion of the proposals designed to implement the agreement on wine reached at the European Council in December. It will return to this subject at its next meeting.
138WThe next meeting of the Council is scheduled for 25–26 February.