§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that the administration of the EEC reduced price butter scheme has been efficiently conducted in the interests of the consumer.
§ Mr. MacGregorI have no reason to doubt it.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will support future proposals for selling off the butter mountain through reduced price butter sales.
§ Mr. MacGregorStocks of surplus butter have built up because the Community has set support prices at levels which encourage production and discourage consumption. The freeze in the target price for milk and the introduction of quotas agreed at the 1984 CAP price fixing were important steps towards securing a better balance in the market and so avoiding the need for special disposal measures. Given the existence of surplus stocks, reduced price sales in some form are inevitable, but we will judge particular proposals on their merits.
4W
- Langport
- Wilberfoss and Thornton Level
- Sinfin Moor
Water authorities, which are responsible for promoting the necessary schemes, have been advised to seek the reconstitution of such boards under section11 of the Land Drainage Act 1976, so that the schedule 2 arrangements can apply in future.