§ Mr. Newensasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will raise with his counterparts in the European Economic Community the forms of assistance provided by the French Government to assist French fruit growers on the grounds that these give them an unfair advantage over British fruit growers.
§ Mr. WigginI have no evidence that the assistance provided by the French Government to assist French fruit farmers is in breach of Community rules on competition.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ensure that British fruit growers are provided with the same Government help which French growers enjoy to enable them to compete on a fair basis; and if he will discuss the present situation with representatives of British growers.
§ Mr. WigginI do not accept that French growers have an unfair advantage in the aids which they receive. It is for each member State to decide what aids should be made available to its fruit growers, subject to general compliance with Community rules on competition and we could not undertake to match in every detail the assistance received from Governments by all or any of our industry's overseas competitors.
We are always ready to discuss the present problems of British fruit growers with their representatives.