§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he is currently carrying out into environmental topics.
§ Mr. Donald Thompson[holding answer 1 March 1988]: Information on work in these areas is contained in the
614W(2) if he will make a statement on the decision of the recent European Community summit in Brussels to ease rules governing milk quotas for producers in France, Germany and Belgium in order that they may produce extra milk without paying the super-levy on excess output.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonIn order to accommodate changes in the pattern of marketing EC legislation allows member states to seek approval from the Commission under management committee procedure for the transfer of specified quantities of quota between their direct sale and wholesale allocations. This is what was recently approved for France, Germany and Belgium and similar approvals have been given to other member states, including the United Kingdom, in the past. These transfers do not increase the total amount of quota allocated to any member state. I do not believe that such a transfer would be justified in the United Kingdom under present circumstances.