HC Deb 19 June 1991 vol 193 cc207-8W
Mr. Moss

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made towards setting up a quality wine scheme for English and Welsh wine producers under European Community rules.

Mr. Curry

During the recent price-fixing round in Brussels, we secured a formal Council statement that readsIn the context of wine sector reform the Commission will study the possibilities of including interspecific varieties in the list of varieties deemed suitable for production of quality wine per specified region".

I expect English and Welsh wine producers to welcome this, as interspecific varieties of vines, or "hybrids", emerged as their predominant concern during a recent consultation exercise on quality wine. Clearly we now have a commitment to follow this point up firmly in subsequent Brussels discussion, which may take some time. Meanwhile, however, I have decided to launch a pilot quality wine scheme for operation as from the 1991 vintage this autumn, with a view to full operation as of the 1992 vintage.

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