Common Agricultural Policy (Hansard, 2 July 1992)

§ 15. Mr. Win Griffiths
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the National Farmers Union to discuss the implications of the CAP reform proposals on United Kingdom agriculture.

§ Mr. Gummer
On 24 June.

§ Mr. Stevenson
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the expected numbers of additional staff in the United Kingdom and EC needed to administer the reformed common agricultural policy.

§ Mr. Curry
I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) on 12 June 1992,Official Report, column 322.

§ Mr. Stevenson
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take to ensure consumer benefit from price cuts under common agricultural policy reform.

§ Mr. Curry
The retail food market in the United Kingdom is a highly competitive one, and no Government action is needed to ensure that consumers benefit from the significant reduction in support prices agreed as part of the CAP reform package. By the end of the reform period, I700W would expect the costs of agricultural support to consumers in the United Kingdom to he lower by some £1 billion.