§ The Government believe that the environmental safeguards built into this new scheme will operate effectively and in a manner which will command the confidence of local planning authorities and, indeed, of all those having a special interest in the environment.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will specify any measures arising out of British membership of the EEC which have, firstly, raised, or, secondly, lowered, barriers on imports of horticultural produce into Great Britain.
§ Mr. BishopDuring the transitional period our tariffs against other member States are being gradually removed. Our tariffs against other countries are concurrently being aligned with the Common Customs Tariff—subject to certain preferential agreements with some countries. Some fresh fruits and vegetables are subject to the Community's reference price system.
The import quotas for apples and pears which we used to operate have been abolished, but during the transitional period a degressive system of compensatory amounts applies to our imports and exports. Most quotas applying to fresh fruit and vegetables from the Eastern Area have also been abolished.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the principal foreign sources from which tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuces and flowers were imported into Great Britain 291W last year with the estimated value of the quantity imported in each case.
§ Mr. DeakinsI have been asked to reply.
Following is the information:
£ million cif Hundred tons Tomatoes, fresh or chilled Canary Islands 18.5 735 Netherlands 8.8 288 Spain 6.0 244 Roumania 1.5 53 Irish Republic 1.2 50 All other countries 0.8 27 Total 36.7 1,398 Cucumbers Netherlands 3.3 130 Canary Islands 3.0 125 All other countries 0.3 16 Total 6.7 270 Lettuces, including endives Netherlands 3.3 74 All other countries 0.6 21 Total 3.9 95 Cut Flowers France 1.1 5 South Africa 0.2 3 Columbia 0.3 2 Netherlands 0.5 2 Kenya 0.2 2 Malta 0.2 2 All other countries 0.7 4 Total 3.2 19