§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the outcome of the European Economic Community Agriculture Management Committee meeting on 22 December.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithAs I explained in my statement on the Agriculture Council on 13 and 14 December—[Vol. 34, c. 299]—the French and Irish Governments indicated that they were not prepared to adopt the necessary implementing regulation providing for imports of New Zealand butter in 1983 until the Commission had authorised export to the Soviet Union. When it became clear that the Commission would not put proposals for such exportss to the management committee this month, the Council adopted on 21 December a regulation providing for the import of 7,250 tonnes of New Zealand butter during January 1983 at the rate of levy previously agreed by the Council in October. Thus, there will be no interruption in the provision for the import of New Zealand butter.