§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is his intention to retain the existing variable premium scheme for cattle and sheep.
§ Mr. John MacKayIt is our intention to press for the continuation of the beef variable premium in the 1985 CAP price fixing negotiations.
The European Commission is not proposing that we discontinue our sheep variable premium scheme, nor do we envisage the scheme's removal. At the price fixing we will therefore seek to secure improvements in the regime and the removal of elements in the Commission's proposals which would discriminate against our producers.