§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made in resolving difficulties about allocating sheep quotas to 777W those involved or previously involved in farming partnerships.
§ Mr. JackProducers involved in partnerships will be able to lease quota within the group, for up to three years, during the second transfer and lease periods for 1993 and 1994. This will enable them to redistribute quota to match their stock holding. The second transfer and lease periods will open when all allocations from the national reserve for the relevant year have been made. For the longer term, following pressure from the United Kingdom, we expect the European Commission shortly to bring forward proposals which would, under certain circumstances, exempt transfers of quota within producer groups or partnerships from the operation of the siphon.