HC Deb 16 January 2001 vol 361 cc137-8W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the principal changes his Department is seeking on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. [143931]

Action plan for farming
Measure Value Accounted for as DEL or AME Proportion paid to farmers/other intended recipients to date
Introduced a scheme to encourage the restructuring of the pig industry in order to improve its long-term viability. (UK wide) £26 million (in 2000–01) DEL —
Pay to dairy farmers all the agrimonetary aid that EU rules permit this year only. (UK wide) £22 million (in 2000–01) AME 99.9 per cent. (£21.9 million)
Pay agrimonetary compensation to beef farmers of £22 million this year only. Payments will be made in connection with Beef Special Premium, Suckler Cow Premium and Extensification Payments for the 2000 scheme year. (UK wide) £22 million (in 2000–01 and 2001–02) AME 39 per cent. (£8.6 million)
Agrimonetary compensation to sheep farmers of £22 million this year in respect of 1999 scheme year claims. (UK wide) £22 million (in 2000–01 and 2001–02) AME 100 per cent. (£22 million)

Ms Quin

Our goal is for agriculture to becompetitive, diverse and flexible in a world of increasingly open markets; responsive to consumer demand; environmentally sustainable; an integral part of the rural economy.

Specific reforms needed will include:

  1. 1. Decisions on market support to align EU prices with the world market and end reliance on subsidised exports;
  2. 2. Decisions to remove constraints on EU farming that prevent the food and farming industries competing effectively on world markets eg milk and sugar quotas and compulsory set-aside;
  3. 3. Decisions to develop the rural development regulation in order to deliver more effectively policy objectives for the environment and rural economies in ways which do not distort agricultural markets as well as to help EU farms to adjust to changes in market support; and
  4. 4. Decisions concerning the level of CAP direct subsidies in order to meet budget constraints before and after enlargement and anticipated WTO requirements, and to release resources to deliver the reinforcement of the rural development regulation described.