§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures are being taken to ensure fair competition between pig producers in European Community countries.
§ Mr. JackWhilst pig producers operate in a free market it is vital that there should be no hidden subsidies which could distort competition. We always take up any such cases with the European Commission when we hear of them. I recently wrote to Commissioner Stechen when I learnt of French proposals for aid to the French pig industry to ask him to investigate the matter urgently and to make sure that no payments were made that contravened Community rules.