§ Mr. Bishopasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state his objectives in the EEC sugar negotiations; and if he will state what progress he has made towards the objectives to date and how soon he hopes to finalise the agreement.
§ Mr. GodberI have been asked to reply.
I assume the hon. Member is referring to the negotiations about imports of sugar which the Community will have under Part III of Protocol 22 of the Treaty of Accession. The Government's objective is to ensure that, after 1974, the developing Commonwealth countries will be able to send to the enlarged Community, on fair terms, the same quantities of sugar as they at present send to this country under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement. It is too early to predict when the negotiations will be concluded.