§ 59. Mr. AlexanderTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made on agricultural trade issues in the current general agreement on tariffs and trade round.
§ Mr. MacGregorMy right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster reported to the House on 12 December 1988 at column400 the outcome of the ministerial mid-term review of the GATT negotiations, including the absence of agreement on agriculture at that stage.
Since then informal consultations have been taking place on agriculture and three other unresolved issues under the auspices of the GATT director general. A meeting at official level of the trade negotiating committee of GATT is to be held in Geneva in the first week of April. The Government hope that firm agreement will be reached there on a framework for action and further negotiation on agricultural reform and will be working to that end from within the Community.