§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if there is to be a separate scheme for Great Britain under the European Community proposals for sheepmeat stabilisers;
(2) what is the maximum guaranteed quantity figures for ewes under the European Community proposals for sheepmeat stabilisers in (a) Great Britain and (b) the rest of the Community, including Northern Ireland;
(3) what are the relevant percentage price reductions over the maximum guaranteed quantity, under the European Community proposals for sheepmeat stabilisers for (a) Great Britain and (b) the rest of the European Community, including Northern Ireland;
(4) if he will make a statement on the implications of the proposed sheepmeat stabilisers for (a) Great Britain and (b) Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Donald Thompson[holding answer 19 February 1988]: The European Council at its meeting on 11–12 February had before it proposals for sheepmeat stabilisers which would provide for guarantee thresholds to be set at the estimated ewe numbers in 1987 of 18 million ewes for Great Britain; and of 44 million for the rest of the Community (including Northern Ireland). The texts provide that if these thresholds were exceeded subsequently, the basic price would be reduced — separately in Great Britain on the one hand and in the rest of the Community (including Northern Ireland) on the other—by 1 per cent. for each 1 per cent. overrun. The separate arrangement for Great Britain would be linked to the application of the variable premium scheme. The Foreign Affairs Council is expected to endorse the non-arable sector stabilisers at its meeting on 22–23 February.
Other operational details, including the starting date for applying the proposed stabiliser mechanism and the precise percentages for the first basic price reductions, will be dealt with in implementing regulations which the EC Commission has yet to bring forward.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether, under the European Community proposals for sheepmeat stabilisers, there are any arrangement for minimum import prices;
(2) what arrangements have been made, under the European Community proposals for sheepmeat stabilisers, for country imports into (a) Great Britain and (b) the rest of the European Community, including Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Donald Thompson[holding answer 19 February 1988]: The importation of sheepmeat into the Community from third countries is governed by voluntary restraint agreements between the EC and the main supplying countries. The VRAs make no distinction as between Great Britain and the rest of the Community, including Northern Ireland. Texts on the sheepmeat stabiliser proposals before the European Council at its meeting on 11–12 February include suggestions as to the points which might form part of the Community's eventual negotiating mandate for discussions with third countries about their future imports. One such point is that third countries should respect import price discipline.