§ Mr. DhandaTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with EU Ministers in connection with the Common Agricultural Policy since the Agriculture Council in June 2003. [148861]
§ Alun MichaelSince June last year, the Common Agricultural Policy has been on the agenda at several of the monthly meetings of the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers, which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, or her ministerial colleagues have attended. At its September meeting, agreement was reached on the Council Regulation implementing the June reform agreement. Since then, there has been discussion of the European Commission's proposals for further reform of the CAP, covering the cotton, tobacco, olive oil and hops sectors and of options for reforming the sugar regime.
In addition, my right hon. Friend discussed CAP reform with the Irish Agriculture Minister in November as part of his preparations for Ireland's presidency of the European Union. Agriculture was also a major issue at the WTO ministerial meeting in Cancun in September at which my right hon. Friend discussed the June agreement and future CAP reform with her EU colleagues.
§ Mr. DhandaTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with colleagues in the Department for International Development in connection with the development implications of reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. [148862]
§ Alun MichaelMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, has regular meetings with her colleagues from other Departments, including the Secretary of State for International Development, to discuss issues relating to the current World Trade Organisation negotiations. These discussions encompass the relationship between development and CAP reform.