§ Mr. Marlowasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the value, per turkey produced, of the aid at present available to turkey producers in France.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe income aid package announced by the French Government last December covered poultry producers. They were to receive a sum equivalent to 1 per cent. of 1980 turnover within a ceiling of 5,000 francs per holding.
A range of aids is potentially available for investment in turkey processing but actual uptake figures are not available. It is not therefore possible to express their value in the way requested.
Mr. Mark Hughesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take to ensure the profitability and survival of the British poultry industry.
§ Mr. Peter Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether, in view of the French Government's direct subsidies and grants to French turkey producers, he will be giving similar aid to protect United Kingdom turkey producers;
(2) whether, in view of the subsidisation of French turkey production, he will take steps to limit or to ban the import of French turkeymeat;
(3) in view of the stockpiling of British production and the impact of French imports, if he will take steps to preserve the viability of the British turkey industry.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithAs I indicated in the reply I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Ludlow (Mr. Cockeram) and Eastleigh (Sir David Price)—[Vol. 7, c.143]—our objective is to ensure that United Kingdom 298W producers and processors can compete on reasonable terms with those in other countries and particularly those in France. We are therefore considering what further action, in addition to that we have already taken in Brussels, might be appropriate.