§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the principal achievements of his Department since June 1987.
§ Mr. CurryBetween 1987 and 1989, productivity per person increased by nearly 9 per cent. in agriculture and by 2.8 per cent. in the food and drink manufacturing industry. Output of the food and drink manufacturing industry rose by 2.6 per cent. Prices of food to the consumer have risen more slowly than the general price level.
Exports of food, feed and beverages have grown by more than 7 per cent. since 1987. Food From Britain, the nationally funded food marketing body, has focused its work more sharply on helping the United Kingdom food and drink industry to reduce its sector deficit through improved marketing at home and abroad.
Reform of the common agricultural policy to tackle the problems of increasing expenditure and surplus production was significantly advanced by the agreement at the European Council in February 1988 on the application of budgetary discipline to the CAP. Key changes decided then were the introduction of a legally binding ceiling on CAP market support expenditure and the introduction or 428W extension of stabilisers in CAP commodity regimes. In 1988–89 and in 1989–90, stabilisers were triggered in many sectors, resulting in significant price cuts. The process of CAP reform was continued by the price settlements in 1988, 1989 and 1990, when common prices were generally frozen and intervention made less attractive. In 1989, the beef and sheep regimes were significantly reformed. The case for further reform is being pursued in the current Uruguay round of GATT negotiations, in which the Government are playing an active part, and within the European Community.
This Department has taken steps to safeguard the position of United Kingdom farmers during the period of adjustment. Significant green pound devaluations, which considerably improve the competitiveness of United Kingdom agriculture and which bring closer the completion of the internal market were agreed at each of the last three price settlements. The suckler cow premium and hill livestock compensatory allowances have been increased.
The Department has continued the policy of achieving a better balance between agricultural production and the environment by introducing a range of specific schemes and providing advice designed to encourage farmers to protect and enhance the countryside, to conserve fauna and flora and to reduce agricultural pollution and are progressively incorporating environmental considerations into agricultural support policies.
In the United Kingdom, 19 environmentally sensitive areas have been established where payments are made to farmers to encourage environmentally beneficial agricultural practices.
In 1989, the Department introduced the farm and conservation grant scheme, which replaced earlier grant schemes aimed at supporting capital investment in the agriculture. The scheme is targeted mainly at bringing about environmental improvements and grants for a wide range of conservation activities. We have also encouraged the planting of trees on agricultural land under the farm woodland scheme.
In 1990, 10 nitrate-sensitive areas were designated under the Water Act 1989 to control nitrate leaching from agricultural land. Powers were taken in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to prohibit the burning of straw and stubble in England and Wales by 1993.
The set-aside scheme, introduced in 1988, pays farmers to set aside land from arable production, thus helping to restrain production and providing an alternative source of income for farmers. The beef and sheep pilot extensification schemes. introduced in 1990, encourage less intensive use of land and lower production by aiding farmers who reduce their output of beef or sheep by at least 20 per cent. Both schemes include requirements designed to protect the environment.
This Department has pursued policies intended to lead to improved understanding of the effects of global warming on sea level rises. We are sponsoring a national research programme, contributing to international studies, and have participated in the production of the report by the coastal zone management sub-group of the intergovernmental panel on climate change on the possible effects of climate change on coastal areas. We have also formulated a strategy to ensure that the design of flood defences will allow for adjustment and modification when more accurate information about sea level rises becomes available.
429WGovernment funding for flood and coastal defence work has been increased each year since 1987. Grant for National Rivers Authority schemes for flood and sea defence will have risen from £17.1 million in 1988–89 to £40.4 million, representing a total capital investment of £92 million, by 1993–94. For local authority schemes for flood and sea defence and coast protection, the grant provision will have increased over the same period from £15.2 million to £21.2 million, representing a capital spend of about £38 million. For internal drainage boards—mainly agricultural schemes—grant will have risen from £1.6 million to £1.8 million. A large part of the increased NRA provision is for sea defence work, notably the east coast. That for local authorities is primarily for the restoration of defences damaged in last winter's storms.
The Department has ensured continuation of effective flood defence arrangements following privatisation of the water industry and the creation of the National Rivers Authority and provided for the financing of flood defence following the changes in local government finance. Updated guidance to drainage authorities on their environmental responsibilities was issued and regulations were made to implement the EC environmental assessment directive regarding flood defence improvement works.
The Government have continued to demonstrate their commitment to the highest possible standards of food safety and consumer protection. A wide-ranging review of food safety legislation led to the Food Safety Act 1990, which provides a tough new framework for food safety throughout the food chain and gives Ministers flexible powers to cope with developments in future. In addition, the food safety directive was created in late 1989 to strengthen arrangements for dealing with food safety issues. At the same time, a new consumer panel was established to keep under review, from a consumers' viewpoint, the implementation of food safety and consumer protection policies.
We operate a comprehensive food monitoring and surveillance system. The chemical safety of food is under the auspices of the steering group on food surveillance. We have also established a new, independent advisory committee and a steering group on the microbiological safety of food.
The United Kingdom has played a full part in negotiating the directives which form part of the Community's single market programme for harmonising food law. These will remove barriers to trade and benefit consumers and industry.
From 1 January 1989, the United Kingdom has been one of only two Community member states to achieve the higher level of milk hygiene standards laid down in Community regulations.
Further measures have been taken to protect farm animal welfare, including legislation on battery hens, transport of animals and poultry, slaughter, a ban on veal crates and regulations which will require all stock-keepers to have received instruction and guidance in the welfare codes. The Government have continued to value the
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Exports of Cheese to Japan 1989 January-October 1990 Exporting Country Quantity (tonne) Value2 (£/tonne) Quantity (tonne) Value2 (£/tonne) France 2,214 3,645 2,136 3,730 Belgium/Luxembourg 102 1,459 — — Netherlands 15,001 1,313 8,064 1,353 independent and authoritative advice of the Farm Animal Welfare Council. A comprehensive series of measures has been introduced to combat the problem of salmonella in eggs and poultry.
We have moved quickly and decisively in the face of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, introducing measures to safeguard the public against any risk to human health, however remote, to bring the disease under control, and to promote necessary research. Without prejudicing the United Kingdom's high animal health status, a series of measures has been adopted to harmonise animal health measures in the single market to reduce unjustified barriers to trade.
The Department's farm advisory service, ADAS, has since 1987 begun a transition towards becoming a commercial organisation and is due to be constituted as an executive agency in 1992.
The Government have continued to work within the framework of the EC common fisheries policy to secure the best possible fishing opportunities for United Kingdom fishermen consistent with conservation, including obtaining recognition of our preferential claims under the 1976 Hague resolution and provision to take some of our western mackerel quotas east of 4 deg. west.
We have announced timetables for phasing out the disposal at sea of industrial wastes and sewage sludge.