§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he 693W has received concerning the sheepmeat stabiliser system for the 1988 marketing year, and in particular the base line used for the calculation of the final stabiliser figure for each European Community country; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald Thompson[holding answer 10 April 1989]: When the Commission fixed the sheepmeat stabiliser for 1988 it had census figures indicating that, for the Community excluding Great Britain, the reduction in the support level resulting from the stabiliser should be 7 per cent. They chose to adjust this figure downwards to 4 per cent., the same level of reduction as applied to Great Britain. They justified this on the basis that there were anomalies in certain countries' statistics.
We have received a number of representations concerning the application of the stabiliser for 1988. We made clear our objections to the Commission's course of action, particulary in a situation where the Commission has itself been pressing the need for measures to control the rapidly rising cost of the sheep regime.