§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the use of green box payments to farmers for the maintenance of animal welfare standards; and if he has plans to include such payments within the ERDP. [136722]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 6 November 2000]: In the Strategy for Agriculture announced earlier this year the Government pledged its support for farm animal welfare to be addressed in the World Trade Organisation negotiations on agriculture. Those negotiations have now begun and the European Commission has tabled a paper proposing discussion of various animal welfare options including the use of green box payments. At present it is too early to judge the likely outcome of such discussions.