HC Deb 14 November 1977 vol 939 c40W
Mr. Marten

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ask permission of the EEC for the advertising and sales promotion costs of the Milk Marketing Board to be set off against the co-responsibility levy for milk before the impost is calculated and assessed on the producer.

Mr. Bishop

I am not aware of any provision in the European Council regulation authorising the co-responsibility levy which would permit such an arrangement. We have, however, already called the attention of the European Commission to the importance of our own major promotion efforts in sustaining a high level of milk consumption, and to the need for this to be taken into account when final decisions are taken by the Commission on the use of co-responsibility funds to support sales promotion.