Mr. loan Evansasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the results of the survey of some 2,000 full-time farms in England carried out for his Department in respect of 1980–81 and forecasts of net farm income for 1981–82 contained in that survey, he will now withdraw his objections to the revaluation of the green pound contained in the European Community Commission's proposals for farm prices in 1982–83 so that consumers in the United Kingdom are given some protection from the effect of the 9 per cent. average increase in farm prices which the Commission is proposing.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerAt the Council of Agriculture Ministers on 15 and 16 February I urged the need for prudent price increases, particularly for products in surplus. I also rejected the Commission's present proposal for a revaluation of the green pound which, taken with their other proposals, would result in British farmers obtaining price increases in 1982–83 of less than 4 per cent. on average, with severe consequences for their income levels. The farm management survey, to which the hon. Member refers and which shows some recovery in 1980–81 and 1981–82 from depressed income levels in 1979–80, does not alter my assessment of the effect of the Commission's proposal.