Mr. Rossasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the survey into the less favoured areas of England and Wales has yet been completed; and when he now expects to put a case for the extension of the United Kingdom less favoured areas to the European Economic Community.
§ Mrs. Fenner:We have now completed the first part of the survey in which we identified areas of marginal land in England and Wales which met the criterion of land quality in European Community Directive 75/268. We are now testing the areas so identified to see whether they satisfy the economic and demographic criteria in the directive. We still hope to be able to put a case for an extension of the United Kingdom's less favoured areas to the European Commission by the turn of the year.