§ Lord Lyellasked Her Majesty's Government:
What view they take of plans by the Dominican Republic to export bananas to the European Community.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)Our policy on the import of bananas permits the UK to fulfil its long-standing commitment to provide preferential access for bananas from our traditional suppliers, Jamaica and the Windward Islands.
During the negotiations last autumn on the renewal of the Lomé Convention and on the accession to it of new members, the Dominican Republic gave certain undertakings to Caribbean members of the group of ACP countries with respect to exports of bananas. We consider that it is important that the DR should abide by its undertakings and hope that they and the ACP will be able to discuss and resolve their differences.