§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what meetings he attended whilst in the United States of America on issues relating to GATT in the month prior to the announcement of the settlement of the GATT round of discussions on rapeseed and cereals.
§ Mr. CurryMy right hon. Friend was in Chicago when EC and United States negotiators met from 1 to 3 November. He was present in his capacity as president of the Agriculture Council, after prior discussion with, and agreement by, the Commission in order to provide any support that the Commission might have found useful. He took no part in the negotiations themselves.
§ Mr. LordTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much land he estimates will have to be set aside from oilseeds and cereals growing, in the United Kingdom, following the recently negotiated GATT agreement.
§ Mr. CurryUnder the common agriculture policy reform agreement reached by the Council in May this year, EC growers of cereals, oilseeds and protein crops—other than those categorised as small producers—are required to setaside 15 per cent. of the land on which they are claiming arable support in relation to the 1993 harvest. The figure of 15 per cent. may be varied in later years. The settlement reached between the EC and the United States of America over the GATT oilseeds dispute includes provisions to contain EC production of oilseeds. To this end, the EC will establish a separate oilseeds base area of 5,499 million hectares for the 1994 harvest and 5.128 million hectares for the 1995 and subsequent harvests. This base area, reduced by either the EC's general arable set-aside percentage for the year in question, or 10 per cent. if that is greater, will be eligible for full EC oilseeds area aid. Should a larger area of oilseeds be grown in the EC, the aid will be reduced by 1 per cent. for each 1 per cent. of increased area.