§ Mr. Stallardasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Council of Minister's (Agriculture) meeting in Brussels on 5–6 February.
§ Mr. John SilkinThere was a preliminary discussion of Commission proposals for CAP prices for 1979–80. I argued for a reduction in prices of surplus products such as milk, sugar and wheat and I strongly supported a general standstill on other prices. I said that the proposal for a more severe co-responsibility levy was a poor substitute for direct action on prices and would discriminate against efficient producers.
The Council resumed discussion on the implications of a European monetary system for the CAP, on the basis of Commission suggestions for phasing-out MCAs. There were lengthy discussions, but no agreement was reached. I argued that the real problem was that CAP prices were generally too high and so gave rise to expensive and wasteful surpluses. I made it clear that the United Kingdom Government would not be able to accept any automatic mechanism for the elimination of MCAs unless there were first a price policy eliminating surpluses.
The Council agreed a directive providing for a co-ordinated programme of arterial drainage in catchment areas straddling the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. The programme, which will benefit some 6,000 hectares in Northern Ireland, will cost in total over 15 million units of account and will attract 50 per cent. aid from the EEC.
I urged the earliest implementation of the Commission's proposed revisions in the co-efficients used for calculating MCAs on pigmeat products and I shall continue to press for this.