§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has as to the likely final milk production figure for the United Kingdom in 1987–88.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonIt is too early to forecast precisely the volume of milk production in the United Kingdom for the 1987–88 year. However, our latest estimate is that wholesale deliveries will be very close to the level of the United Kingdom wholesale quota which is fixed at 14,057.3 million litres.
§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is taken by the European Community to ensure that national figures for milk production are accurate, and that European Community instructions concerning milk quotas are observed.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe European Commission takes very seriously its obligation to ensure that it has accurate information about production in each member state and cross-checks material supplied by them with nationally published statistics. Each member state has been visited by the European Community's Court of Auditors or by inspectors from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund and some countries have been visited by both agencies. Failure on the part of a member state to meet its Community obligations can result in proceedings in the European Court of Justice and the Commission has recently won its case against Italy for failure to implement the quota regime.