HC Deb 11 January 1990 vol 164 cc737-8W
23. Dr. Marek

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what meetings he has had with outside organisations to discuss the future of the sheepmeat regime.

Mr. Curry

During the recent review of the sheepmeat regime Ministers and officials consulted widely with interested parties. We shall continue to do so on the details that remain to be resolved.

28. Mr. Maclennan

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the future of the sheepmeat regime.

Mr. Curry

The recent reform of the sheepmeat regime offers excellent prospects for United Kingdom producers to compete on an equal basis in Europe as they enter the next decade.

61. Dr. Kim Howells

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about recent discussions he has had in the European Council concerning the sheepmeat regime.

Mr. Curry

The Agriculture Council on 11–12 December, as part of the follow-up to the reform of the sheepmeat regime, agreed a definition of a heavy lamb carcase for the purpose of determinin the level of ewe premium payments to be paid to sheep milk producers. That will not affect the payments under the 1990 scheme to sheep milk producers in this country. The special arrangements governing payments to sheeps' milk producers, which were agreed by the September Council, will come into effect in the United Kingdom from the beginning of 1991. The Council also agreed revised terms of access for Argentinian and Australian sheepmeat exports to the EC.