HC Deb 15 December 1983 vol 50 cc576-7W
21. Mr. Dykes

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the progress made towards European Economic Community reforms in the common agricultural policy based on the discussions at the Athens summit meeting of leaders of Government.

31. Mr. Robert Maclennan

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement indicating the consequences for agricultural producers, consumers and food processors of the United Kingdom of the Athens summit conference.

Mr. Jopling

I refer my hon. Friend and the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Wealden (Sir G. Johnson Smith) and the hon. Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Deakins).

Mr. McQuarrie

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the discussions on the common agricultural policy at the Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels on 12 and 13 December.

Mr. Jopling

Together with my hon. Friend the Minister of State I represented the United Kingdom at this Council.

The Council agreed that 13,833 tonnes of New Zealand butter could be imported into the United Kingdom during the next two months as an interim arrangement pending further discussion by the Council of the Commission's proposal for imports of New Zealand butter over the next five years.

A one year roll-over of the arrangements for monetary compensatory amounts was also agreed and a six month extension of the existing United Kingdom foot and mouth derogations.

Since there were no Commission proposals, it was not possible to take decisions on the continuation beyond the end of this year of the structures measures. It is expected that there will be proposals for discussion at the January Council and that decisions taken will be back-dated to the beginning of the year. Further discussion of the extension of the United Kingdom less favoured areas will also take place at the same time in January.

On eggs, I stressed the need in the interests of better marketing for an early decision on the kind of information and promotional material to be allowed on retail egg packs. The Council will return to this issue in the new year.

On the beef carcase classification grid, I stressed that much more technical work was necessary before any decisions could be taken and that it would be essential to ensure that the proposed new arrangements would in fact work out better than existing ones. The Commission's proposals on sheepmeat were also remitted for further detailed work.

We pressed the Commission to take action over the continuing trade distortion created by exports of cheap French agricultural alcohol to other Community markets. The Commissioner replied that he would pursue this issue which was already under consideration.

The Council had a preliminary discussion of future procedure following the Athens summit and agreed to return to this in January.