§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions he has had with the EU on measures to offer price or income support to British pig farmers. [101068]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 2 December 1999]: None, as direct payments and similar supports to producers are not part of the CAP pigmeat regime. However, we have pressed the European Commission to reopen the aids to private storage of pigmeat scheme and to reinstate special refunds on exports of fresh and frozen pig carcases and cuts to Russia. Officials in the Department have also discussed with the European Commission the costs faced by British pig producers because of BSE and the possibility of introducing a pig offal disposal scheme.