§ Mr. Forthasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish the memorandum which was presented to the Council of Ministers of the European Communities on 6 December concerning the interaction of agriculture and the environment; and if he will publish a precis of it in the Official Report.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe text of the United Kingdom memorandum on agriculture and the environment which was presented to the Council of Ministers on 6 December is reproduced below. In introducing it I stressed the importance of the subject to Her Majesty's Government. The Commission has undertaken to report to the Council on the issues mentioned in the memorandum.
This memorandum seeks the Council's support for a proposal that the Commission prepare a review of progress made towards ensuring that environmental concerns are taken into account in Community agricultural policies and reviewing the scope for further action.
There is increasing public interest within the Community about the effects of various policies on the environment and a growing recognition of the need for a rational and balanced approach towards the exploitation of natural resources, including the development of improved methods of food production. The third action programme on the environment reflects that awareness as well as the principles underlying the world conservation strategy in its commitment to the integration of the environmental dimension in the development of agriculture and socioeconomic policies.
The United Kingdom has taken steps at both national and Community level to achieve a better balance between the promotion of a flourishing agricultural industry and safeguarding of the environment.
Nationally, Her Majesty's Government has introduced legislation providing increased protection for landscape and wildlife and creating a statutory framework for encouraging greater understanding between farming and conservation interests of each others' aims and objectives. Within the Community, the United Kingdom has tabled amendments to the proposed regulation on agricultural structures revising previous directives on the modernisation of farming which, if accepted, would enable member states to encourage farming practices in environmentally sensitive areas which are consistent with conservation objectives.
The United Kingdom believes it would be most helpful if, in the light of inter alia the negotiations on the regulation which are proceeding in the high level agriculture group, the Commission could report on general progress made towards reflecting the principles of the third action programme in the development of agricultural and environmental policy, including the question of research in this field, and identify the scope for further action. The Council is accordingly invited to endorse a proposal that the Commission might consider this further and report back to the Council within six months.