§ 22. Mr. Simon CoombsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the reform of the common agricultural policy tobacco regime. [20958]
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe tobacco regime reforms agreed in 1992 and applicable from the 1993 harvest, were a step in the right direction, in reducing the quantities of tobacco eligible for support, removing the facilities for intervention and export refunds in all but exceptional circumstances and switching production to lower tar, more marketable varieties. However, we do not believe that tobacco production should be subsidised or supported at all and will continue to take every opportunity to curb the regime.