HC Deb 04 July 1988 vol 136 c466W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Southend, East of 27 June, if he will publish the statement made by the Commissioner to the effect that the recent agreement on prices will conform to the 1989 guidelines; what is the size of the management economies which will be required to ensure this; and if these economies will include transferring financial responsibilities to member states.

Mr. MacGregor

[holding answer 30 June 1988]: The statement was: The Commission states that it is in a position to comply with the 1988 budget and the 1989 preliminary draft budget, and therefore the guideline, thanks to management measures such as, for example, less use of skimmed milk powder in animal feed.

The Commisson is now amending the 1989 preliminary draft budget to take account of the price package and savings from management economies which together will reduce expenditure by 20 mecu (£13.4 million). Management economies total 309 mecu (£207 million) and will not involve a transfer of financial responsibilities to member states.