§ Mr. Gwynoro Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a condition of British entry into the European Economic Community the continuance of direct income payments to farmers in the hill and upland areas in order that they can continue to play their part in increasing meat production in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. RipponI would refer the hon. Member to the speech by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in this House on 21st January.—[Vol. 810, c. 1332–33.]
§ Mr. Gwynoro Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it a condition of entry into the European Economic Community that if the British market for horticultural products is faced with disturbance following free access for the produce of other European Economic Community countries during the transitional period, Her Majesty's Government will require the power to apply a safeguard clause to imports until the market situation is improved, such as the provision existing in the Community in the early 1960s in Regulation No. 23, 1962.
§ Mr. RipponWe have said to the Community that flexibility will be essential when we come to make the transition to the Common Agricultural Policy. The form of transitional arrangements for horticulture is still subject to negotiation.
§ Mr. Gwynoro Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give an assurance that if Great Britain were to join the European Economic Community the Milk Marketing Board would continue its existing marketing function on behalf of all producers.
218W
§ Mr. RipponOur understanding is that the Milk Marketing Board as a nongovernmental producer organisation will be able to continue the essential features of our present milk marketing arrangements.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the total cost of United Kingdom payments into the European Economic Community budget after allowing for receipts of £84 million in 1982, on the basis that the total Community budget in 1982 will be 3,000 million dollars and 4,500 million dollars, respectively.
§ Mr. RipponFor estimates of the range of the United Kingdom net contribution to the Community budget I would refer hon. Members to my state. ment of 16th December. I explained in this statement some qualifications applying to the estimates made in it. These would apply even more to estimates for as far ahead as 1982.—[Vol. 809, c. 1354–56.]
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to ensure that the European Economic Community Council of Ministers accepts the United Kingdom view that the Milk Marketing Board should be considered within an enlarged European Economic Community as a nongovernmental producer organisation.
§ Mr. RipponI am sure that the Council of Ministers of the Community is well aware of our position in this matter which was explained by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture in the debate in this House on 21st January. —[Vol. 810, c. 1323–4.]