§ Mr. Leeasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the adequacy of the safeguards for Commonwealth sugar producers embodied in the Lomé Convention protocol that superseded the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement, in the light of the representations made on this subject this week in London by Mr. Raymond Clarke, the Mauritius Ambassador to the EEC and other development nations; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BishopI am satisfied that the Lomé Sugar Protocol and associated agreements fully safeguard the long-term interests of Commonwealth and other African, Caribbean and Pacific sugar-producing countries associated with the EEC, by providing assured access to the Community for up to 1.3 million tonnes of sugar a year at or above a guaranteed price. The guranteed price is negotiated annually between the Community and the ACP countries within the range of prices obtaining in the Community. I am aware of the views of the ACP countries on the negotiation of the guaranteed price for the 1978–79 delivery period, which were the subject of the Press conference held in London by a number of ACP Ambassalors on 25th April. I have no doubt that these views will be taken into account along with other relevant considerations in the negotiations, which should be concluded later this month.