§ Mr. Swainasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider amending the Marginal Land Directive in order to cover more of the less favoured areas in order to bring them into line with the other members of the EEC.
§ Mr. StrangThe Less-Favoured Areas Directive—75 /268 /EEC of 19th May 1975—sets out criteria for determining less-favoured areas and maximum limits to aid which are common to all member States of the EEC. Only France has declared a larger area of land for the purposes of the directive than has the United Kingdom, but this area constitute; only 35 per cent. of the French land area whereas the United Kingdom less-favoured areas amount to 41 per cent. of our total land area. No other member State pays aid at such high rates as the United Kingdom.
My right hon. Friend the Minister and his agricultural colleagues are considering a report by officials on the position of farmers on land adjoining less-favoured areas.