§ Mr. Baldryasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make available a statement explaining in plain language the way in which the dairy produce quotas regulations will operate.
§ Mr. JoplingExplanations of the way in which various aspects of the Dairy Produce Quota Regulations will operate have been given in notices to producers which I issued on 10 April, 12 June and 18 June (copies will be placed in the Library of the House). Full explanatory notes on the completion of applications for special case treatment, for outgoers' compensation and for registration of direct sellers will be sent to all producers as soon as the Dairy Produce Quota Regulations, the draft of which is before the House, come into effect.
I would also refer my hon. Friend to my speech to the House on Tuesday 3 July.
§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, when allocating the 2.5 per cent. reserve milk quota, he would look sympathetically at the cases of producer retailers who have authenticated evidence of significant investment to increase production to meet their own retail needs.
§ Mr. JoplingProvided Parliament approves the draft Dairy Produce Quota Regulations, all producer retailers will be asked to apply for a primary allocation of direct sales quota. At the same time, they will be able to apply for special case treatment either under the Community's six exceptional event headings or in respect of investments aimed at increasing milk production. Applications for special case treatment will be considered by the independent dairy produce quota tribunals and local panels.
§ Mr. Marlowasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under what statutory authority the milk quota arrangements are currently being operated.
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§ Mr. JoplingThe supplementary levy arrangements are given effect through Council Regulations (EEC) No. 856/84, 857/84 and 1557/84 and Commission Regulation 1371/84. European Community legislation is directly applicable in the United Kingdom by virtue of section 2(1) of the European Communities Act 1972. The detailed implementing arrangements in the United Kingdom will be the subject of statutory instruments, the first of which was laid before Parliament on 27 June 1984. Until these instruments come into effect the administrative arrangements and machinery that are being established are provisional.
§ Mr. Marlowasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the current statutory arrangements for the marketing of milk; what are their costs; and what proportion is paid for by the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe marketing of milk in England and Wales is regulated by the Milk Marketing Scheme 1933, as amended to reflect European Community legislation,., notably Council Regulations (EEC) No. 141/78 and No. 1422/78 and Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 1565/79.
Under the scheme, the Milk Marketing Board in England and Wales is, with certain exceptions, required to purchase, collect and market all milk offered to it by registered producers in the board's area. Similar schemes exist in respect of the three milk marketing boards in Scotland and of the Milk Marketing Board for Northern Ireland.
The cost of administering each scheme falls to registered producers in each board area. Details of such costs are to be found in the annual report and accounts of each board. The European Community makes no contribution towards these costs.
§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the official advice sent to dairy farmers since January 1981 advising them of the possibilities of some form of quota being introduced with respect to milk production.
§ Mr. Jopling[pursuant to his reply, 6 July 1984, c. 333]: The Commission published its proposals on milk quotas and a supplementary levy on 28 July 1983 and this was first discussed at the Council of Agricultural Ministers on 30 August 1983. Following the publication of the Commission proposals, there was a very wide public debate and extensive coverage in the farming
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Farm accounts: area and net farm income per farm for specialist cereal farms 1979–80 to 1982–83 (years ending February) Small Medium Large Country year 4–7.9 ESU 8–15.9 ESU 4–15.9 ESU 16–39.9 ESU 40ESUandover Total area (hectares) Net farm income (£) Annual labour units Total area (hectares) Net farm income (£) Annual labour units Total area (hectares) Net farm income (£) Total area (hectares) Net farm income (£) Total area (hectares) Net farm income (£) England 1979–80 na na na 53 1,186 1.3 42 592 98 6,820 248 15,458 1980–81 na na na 53 1,700 1.3 43 1,443 97 6,354 250 22,627 1980–81 na na na 51 3,648 1.3 47 513 99 6,465 247 24,130 1981–82 na na na 50 2,916 1.3 47 1,281 99 6,155 252 23,527 1981–82 na na na 48 3,654 1.4 46 2,376 97 6,636 256 19,765 1982–83 na na na 47 5,466 1.2 45 2,892 97 11,415 255 36,803 Scotland 1979–80 na na na na na na na na 104 2,897 214 14,124 1980–81 na na na na na na na na 104 -177 213 2,259 1980–81 na na na na na na na na 105 -572 174 8,950 press. But until decisions had been taken on the proposals there was no useful additional official advice that could be given.