§ Mr. Alex Carlileasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, whether he has any proposals for the containment of surplus milk production in the European Community generally, whilst enabling continuing growth in milk output in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorAt the agricultural price fixing earlier this year important progress was made in tackling the problem of surplus milk production when the Council of Ministers agreed to the implementation of the threshold arrangement for milk production and set a new threshold for 1983 significantly below the present level of production. We shall continue to press for measures which result in a better balance between supply and demand without discriminating against the efficient industry we have in this country.
§ Mr. Alex Carlileasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is the total subsidy paid, and to be paid, to independent and non-maintained schools as a result of their inclusion in the European Community aggregate whole milk arrangements.
§ Mr. MacGregorIndependent and non-maintained schools have been eligible under the aggregate whole milk arrangements since last autumn term. Subsidy of about £512,000 has so far been paid to such schools in Great Britain. It is not possible to estimate the value of claims still to be made.