§ Mr. SykesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to what use money paid by British farmers in fines for overproduction of milk is put. [31667]
§ Mr. JackMoney collected in the form of a levy on over-quota milk is used to stabilise the market in milk and milk products and to help offset the costs of storing and disposing of surplus milk within the European Union.
§ Mr. SykesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received regarding the standards of calibration in milk tests for British farmers. [31669]
§ Mr. JackA number of representations have been received linking calibration standards to the outcome of butterfat test results. There are, however, a large number of factors which can cause variations in butterfat test results, of which calibration is only one.
§ Mr. SykesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect on British farmers of current practices in the testing of milk in relation to farmers in other EEC countries and their methods of testing milk. [31671]
§ Mr. JackThe EEC Commission's chemical experts' group in milk and milk products has issued a questionnaire to all member states covering the calibration of instruments, inter-laboratory comparisons within member states and inter-laboratory comparisons between member states. Returns are being considered and I would not wish to pre-empt the Commission's findings.