HL Deb 16 October 1995 vol 566 cc75-6WA
Lord Rankeillour

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Luxembourg on 17 July and if he will make a statement.

Lord Lucas

The Council had before it a proposal from the Commission for an increase in the tariff quota for imports of third country bananas to cover consumption in the three new member states. Some member states wished to link this issue to wider changes in the present arrangements, so there was no majority for adopting the proposed increase. The Commission is now likely to increase the quota under its own powers.

The Commission had agreed, as part of the package of decisions at the June Council, to make a proposal authorising the payment of national aid to farmers who have suffered loss as a result of currency depreciation in member states other than their own. The Commissioner presented a proposal on these lines which will now go for technical examination. My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food agreed that this measure should be drawn in such a way as to meet only genuine losses properly attributed to excess currency fluctuations.

My right honourable friend warmly welcomed a statement from the Commissioner that he expected that his promised report on the treatment of calves reared for veal would be available in October. My right honourable friend urged that the Council should consider the report, and appropriate proposals from the Commission, as soon as possible.

During a brief discussion on the rate of set-aside for crops to be harvested in 1996, on which a proposal from the Commission is awaited, my right honourable friend made clear that he would want an undertaking that the Commission would use its powers to manage the cereals market in such a way that livestock producers would not be faced with grain prices above intended support levels.

Denmark presented information about the use of Avoparcin, an animal feed supplement. It was agreed that this material should be assessed as quickly as possible by the appropriate scientific committee. Meanwhile it was established that a majority of member states (Denmark, Germany, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Greece, Netherlands and Luxembourg) opposed the adoption of a Commission proposal to authorise the use of this product in feed for dairy cows in the Community as a whole.