§ Sir Peter Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on retaining stocks of butter in intervention.
§ Mr. Jopling[pursuant to his reply, 8 May 1987]: There are good reasons for reducing intervention stocks of butter where to do so does not disrupt the normal fresh butter market.
The important thing is to follow policies which do not encourage the accumulation of surplus stocks in the first place. I therefore welcomed the measures which the Council agreed in December to reduce milk production quotas and to restore the system of intervention to its original role of safety net as opposed to a guaranteed outlet whilst at the same time ensuring the stability of the market.