HC Deb 08 March 1990 vol 168 cc837-8W
22. Mr. Jacques Arnold

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures are followed to achieve changes in green currency values.

51. Mr. Knapman

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures are followed to achieve changes in green currency values.

Mr. Gummer

Changes to green currencies are proposed by the Commission and agreed by qualified majority in the Council of Ministers.

30. Mr. Moss

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next be discussing the green pound in the Council of Ministers.

Mr. Gummer

The green pound will next be discussed at the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 26–27 March.

34. Mr. David Nicholson

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he will be taking to secure support in Europe for his proposals on the green pound.

Mr. Gummer

I have made it clear to the Commission and the Council that I am seeking a substantial devaluation of the green pound and I will continue to pursue this objective in future negotiations, both in the Council of Ministers and elsewhere.

44. Mr. Patrick Thompson

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with other European Community Ministers concerning the future of green currencies.

Mr. Tredinnick

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions he has had with other European Community Ministers concerning the future of green currencies.

Mr. Gummer

I have regular discussions with other Community Agriculture Ministers, in the Council of Ministers and elsewhere. At these meetings I make it clear that I am seeking a substantial devaluation of the green pound at this year's farm price review.

45. Mr. Stevens

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what issues he will raise during his next European Council negotiations on the green pound.

Mr. Gummer

I shall be pressing for a substantial devaluation at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers.

49. Mr. Alexander

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the president of the National Farmers Union on the current state of the green pound; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

The president of the National Farmers Union has made his views on the green pound clear to me on a number of occasions. I have told him that I seek to secure a substantial devaluation of the green pound at this year's farm prices review.

56. Mr. John Greenway

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what commitments he has given to the National Farmers Union about his negotiating stance on the green pound.

Mr. Gummer

I have indicated to the House and to the National Farmers Union that I am seeking a substantial devaluation of the green pound at this year's farm price review, and that I am committed to the complete removal of the difference between the green and market rates of exchange of the pound by the end of 1992 at the latest.

80. Mr. Burt

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received against Britain being granted a devaluation of the green pound.

Mr. Gummer

I have received representations from various organisations drawing attention to the consequences of a devaluation of the green pound on food prices.

Mr. Boswell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will tabulate, for each month since British accession to the European Community, the amount of divergence between British green pound rates weighted according to the value of production of each commodity group and overall exchange rates and the overall weighted impact to date of each divergence on British producer prices.

Mr. Curry

The information, in the form requested, is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Speller

To ask idle Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to achieve(a) a devaluation and (b) the abolition of the green pound.

Mr. Gummer

I expect to secure a devaluation of the green pound at this year's farm price review. The Council and Commission are agreed that all monetary gaps, including the gap between the green and market rate for the pound, should be eliminated by 1992 at the latest.