§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what legislation is being proposed to assist producers in applying for an allocation of sheep quotas from the national reserve.
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 3 December 1993]The legislation governing the national reserve came into force on 7 December. Producers asking for an application form will be sent an accompanying explanatory leaflet that gives detailed guidance about how to fill in the application form. Further explanatory leaflets and notes for guidance will be prepared in due course. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will be making separate arrangements in Scotland.
693WThe text of a letter sent to sheep producers in England which provides further guidance is available in the Library of the House.
§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has had concerning the administration and operation of the national reserve of sheep quotas; what plans she has to extend the national reserve; and what information she has in respect of the systems in force in each other European Union country.
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 3 December 1993]I have received a number of representations on this subject from both organisations and individual producers. The methodology for calculating the size of the national reserves is fixed under Community legislation which also sets out a number of categories of producers who have access to the reserves. The 1993 national reserve of sheep quota comprises some 380,000 units of quota. In addition, some 400,000 units of quota will be available for producers who claimed premium for the first time under the 1992 scheme. The reserves for 1994 and subsequent years will be made up almost entirely of siphoned quota. Each member state is bound by the terms of the Community legislation and is obliged to implement the arrangements accordingly.