§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has received on liability for royalty payments for farm-saved seeds in preparation for the November meeting of the EC Council of Agriculture Ministers; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 23 November 1993]: I have received a number of representations both from individual farmers and from some local branches of the National Farmers Union. The question of farm-saved seed is under current consideration as part of the draft EC proposal for a European plant variety rights scheme. The current proposals include a five-year, renewable, derogation that will enable farmers to continue saving seed of the varieties they use in this way at present without the payment of any royalty. For farm-saved seed of varieties not saved at present by individual farmers, a sensibly lower royalty will apply. Our aim in the negotiations will be to ensure that this principle is retained in the final regulation.