§ Mr. GillTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish his response to proposals put forward by the agriculture industry as an alternative to a pesticides tax. [137578]
§ Ms QuinThe agriculture industry has made a valuable contribution to the development of a voluntary package of measures to reduce the environmental impact of pesticides use. My right hon. Friend the Minister and I welcome this initiative and look forward to working with the industry and other stakeholders in developing constructive measures which meet our environmental objectives.
Taxation is a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who set out the current position in relation to a pesticides tax in the pre-Budget report on 8 November 2000.