§ Mr. Welshasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for consultations with regard to proposals for an EEC common policy for potatoes and, in particular, which Scottish organisation he will be contacting.
§ Mr. Hugh D. BrownI have been asked to reply.
My colleagues and I are in regular touch with the organisations, in Scotland and the United Kingdom, representing potato producers and the potato trade on questions that affect their interests. I have
606WSugar.—In addition the following amounts of sugar were so treated in the period concerned:
no plans at present for specific consultations.
§ Mr. Welshasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what objections the Government have to an EEC common policy for potatoes and, in particular, which of these objections refer to the needs of the Scottish potato industry.
§ Mr. Hugh D. BrownI have been asked to reply.
There are as yet no firm proposals by the EEC Commission for a common organisation of the European market for table potatoes in general, as distinct from either new potatoes—in respect of which the Commission has recently made a proposal—or seed potatoes, for which a directive already exists. It would be premature for Her Majesty's Government at this stage to comment on any suggestions which may have been informally canvassed.