§ Mr. Home Robertsonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has made to Mr. V. S. Murakhovsky, the chairman of the state agro-industrial committee of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, who is currently visiting Britain, on the subject of compensation for British farmers who are suffering financial losses as a result of restrictions imposed following the emission of radioactive contamination from Chernobyl.
§ Mr. JoplingIn my meetings with Mr. Murakhovsky, I drew attention to the concerns of both the Government and British farmers about the effects on our agriculture of the incident at Chernobyl. I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs also raised this matter with Mr. Murakhovsky and told him that Her Majesty's Government would wish to reserve its rights to claim compensation.