§ Mr. Patrick ThompsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 18 and 19 March; and if he will make a statement. [22394]
§ Mr. BaldryI represented the United Kingdom at the Agriculture Council meeting in Brussels on 18 to 19 March 1996.
The Council had before it three proposals relating to beef hormones, which together re-enacted the ban on growth-promoting hormones and the import of meat treated with such hormones; introduced rules on the use of so-called beta-agonists; and strengthened controls on the illegal use of these substances. On behalf of the UK, I argued against enacting these proposals in view of the imminent negotiations in the World Trade Organisation framework between the European Union on the one hand, and the United States and other complainants on the other. However, all other member states were able to agree. I indicated our intention to vote against the measures when formally adopted for the reasons which I had stated in the Council.
230W
Average earnings Half average earnings Additional pension (£ per week) Relative to basic retirement pension Additional pension (£ per week) Relative to basic retirement pension Year Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female 1995 72.60 44.40 1.19 .73 30.00 15.90 .49 .26 1996 77.30 47.70 1.27 .78 32.10 17.30 .53 .28 1997 80.60 49.90 1.32 .82 33.40 18.10 .53 .30 1998 85.60 53.30 1.40 .87 35.50 19.40 .58 .32 1999 86.90 54.50 1.42 .89 36.20 20.00 .59 .33 2000 84.80 52.50 1.39 .86 34.00 17.80 .56 .29 2001 85.10 52.80 1.39 .86 34.20 18.00 .56 .30 2002 85.20 53.10 1.39 .87 34.30 18.20 .56 .30 2003 85.30 53.30 1.40 .87 34.40 18.30 .56 .30 2004 85.30 53.40 1.40 .87 34.40 18.50 .56 .30 2005 85.30 53.60 1.40 .88 34.40 18.60 .56 .30 2006 85.30 53.60 1.40 .88 34.50 18.70 .56 .31 2007 85.10 53.70 1.39 .88 34.50 18.70 .56 .31 2008 84.90 53.70 1.39 .88 34.50 18.80 .56 .31 2009 84.50 53.60 1.38 .88 34.40 18.80 .56 .31 The Agriculture Commissioner introduced a proposal to amend the Council regulation on the common organisation of the market in bananas, principally to increase the tariff quota to provide for the market requirements of the new member states of the EU, but also to introduce other changes. I made clear the UK's willingness to remedy operational deficiencies in the present banana regime, but not to accept fundamental changes to the regime to the detriment of African, Caribbean and Pacific banana producers. Work will now begin on this proposal at technical level.
The presidency and Commission conducted bilateral meetings with member states on the proposals for reform of the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables and in products processed from fruit and vegetables. I made clear the importance which the UK attaches to reform of these regimes. I stressed the need for measures to reduce dependence on intervention, to allow specialist producer groups to flourish, and to prevent market arrangements of an anti-competitive nature. The presidency said that these proposals would be discussed further at the Council in April in the light of conclusions drawn from bilateral contacts.
Finally the Commissioner said, in response to UK questioning, that work was under way at technical level on the proposal to improve the welfare of calves used for veal production, and expressed the Commission's hope that this would proceed as quickly as possible.