§ Hugh Bayley:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she will make to the European Union for further reductions in agricultural (a) export and (b) trade distorting subsidies; whether the Government will press the European Union substantially to reduce expenditure on the Common Agricultural Policy; and if she will make a statement on the Common Agricultural Policy and the World Trade Organisation trade round. [131491]
§ Mr. Bradshaw:The agreement on CAP reform which was reached by the Agriculture Council in June enabled the European Union to take a credible and constructive position on agriculture in the WTO negotiations at Cancun. Unfortunately the negotiations broke down before detailed discussion of agriculture was begun. However, in the forthcoming EU reviews of sugar, cotton, tobacco, olive oil and hops we shall be seeking decisions which further assist in reaching a satisfactory outcome to the Doha Development Agenda.
§ Andrew George:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of Common Agricultural Policy reform proposals on (a) smaller and more economically marginal full-time farm holdings and (b) tenant farms in the UK. [131888]
§ Mr. Bradshaw:No specific assessment has been undertaken of the impact of the CAP reform proposals on smaller, economically marginal or tenant farmers. However, we have assessed the impacts of the proposals on farming and other businesses generally, including an analysis by farm activity, and a summary of these is included in the Regulatory Impact Assessments which have been lodged in the House Libraries.
For the first time, the bulk of farm subsidy will not be dependent on what or how much farmers produce. They will instead be free to produce what they judge the market wants and so be better able to cut costs and increase profits. Our analysis suggests that those farmers who are economically marginal at present are likely to be more disposed to take advantage of this freedom to alter their activity and thereby increase their income. Farmers will also be freed from some of the bureaucracy associated with the subsidy schemes which are being replaced by this new decoupled subsidy. The historic recipient, whether owner or tenant, will continue to hold the subsidy entitlement.
Farmers whose subsidy is less than €5,000, which is likely to include many of the smallest holdings, will be exempt from the reduction in subsidies to fund rural development and environmental measures. This exemption applies to tenants as well as farmers who own the land.
The UK also has the option to retain 10 per cent. of payments to establish a national envelope to address potential negative impacts of decoupling for specific types of farming. The detailed rules of how this will apply have yet to be developed by the European Commission.
§ Angus Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food arid Rural Affairs if she will list the dates of the joint meetings of management and regulatory committees in the field of agriculture on (a) promotion of 127W agricultural products, (b) agrimonetary questions and (c) trade mechanisms, during the (i) Danish and (ii) Greek presidency; what issues were discussed; when the Scottish Executive was informed of each meeting; for what meetings requests for Scottish representation were made; and if she will make a statement. [131649]
§ Mr. Bradshaw:Agenda details of management and regulatory committees are provided to the Scottish Executive prior to each meeting with the opportunity to comment or request further information on any issue under discussion. The Scottish Executive is informed of the results of each meeting. No requests for Scottish representation were made for meetings of the Committee on the Promotion of Agricultural Products, the Agrimonetary Management Committee and the Trade Mechanisms Management Committee during the Danish and Greek presidencies. The dates of these meetings and a synopsis of the issues discussed is listed as follows:
Committee on the Promotion of Agricultural Products
The committee met monthly during the Danish and Greek presidencies with the exception of August and October 2002 and March 2003. The committee discussed amendments to and interpretation of the regulations, proposals submitted for funding and other issues relating to the implementation of regulations.
Agrimonetary Management Committee
The committee met in the Danish presidency on 16 October 2002 and in the Greek presidency on 9 April 2003. It discussed aspects of agrimonetary compensation and a minor amendment to the agrimonetary regulations.
Trade Mechanisms Management Committee
The UK is represented at the Management Committee by the Rural Payments Agency. With the exception of July and August 2002 and April 2003, the committee met monthly during the period of the Danish and Greek presidencies. The Committee is responsible for horizontal issues in respect of export refunds and CAP import and export licensing.
§ Angus Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the dates of meetings of the management committees of the common organistations of agricultural markets for (a) cereals, (b) dehydrated fodder, (c) sugar, (d) oils and fats, (e) natural fibres, (f) milk and milk products, (g) beef and veal, (h) sheep and goat, (i) pigmeat, (j) poultrymeat and eggs, (k) fresh fruit and vegetables, (1) products produced from fruit and vegetables, (m) hops, (n) seeds and (o) live plants and floriculture products, during the (i) Danish and (ii) Greek presidency; what issues were discussed; when the Scottish Executive was informed of each meeting; for what meetings requests for Scottish representation were made; and if she will make a statement. [131648]
§ Mr. Bradshaw:The information requested is as follows.
Management Committee for (a) Cereals
The Cereals Management Committee normally meets on a weekly basis. Meetings are attended by officials from Defra and additionally, as necessary, by officials from other UK Agriculture Departments or the Rural Payments Agency. The Scottish Executive receives the agenda for each meeting at the same time as Defra, 128W normally a week prior to the meeting taking place. During the period of the Danish and Greek presidencies, members of the Scottish Executive attended Cereals Management Committee meetings on 4 and 5 occasions respectively. Items under consideration included the regular adjudications for the export of cereals to third countries, the cereals harvest situation, the implementing rules for the import of cereal from third countries and the implementing rules for the trade in cereals with those applicant countries with whom the EU has negotiated reciprocal arrangements.
Management Committee for (b) Dehydrated Fodder
The Management Committee for dehydrated fodder met on 20 June 2003, under the Greek presidency. They did not meet during the Danish presidency. The Scottish Executive was informed once the date of the meeting was known, they did not ask to attend any Management Committee. The Committee considered the setting of the aid rate for dehydrated fodder.
Management Committee for (c) Sugar
The Sugar Management Committee normally meets on a weekly basis. Meetings are attended by officials from Defra and additionally, as necessary, by officials from other UK Agriculture Departments or the Rural Payments Agency. The Scottish Executive receives the agenda for each meeting at the same time as Defra, normally a week prior to the meeting taking place. During the period of the Danish and Greek presidencies, members of the Scottish Executive attended the Sugar Management Committee meetings on three and two occasions respectively. Items under consideration included the regular adjudications for the export of sugar to third countries, the sugar market situation, the implementing rules for the levies charged on the production of sugar in the EU, and the implementing rules for the trade in sugar with the Western Balkans.
Management Committee for (d) Oils and Fats
The dates of Management Committee meetings for oils and fats were:
2002 2003 5 July 22 January 11/24 September 12 February 16 October 19 March 20 November 9 April 11 December 19 May 11 June The Scottish Executive was informed as soon as dates of meetings were known, they did not request to attend any Management Committee. The Committee considered matters relating to the management of the market for oils and fats.
Management Committee for (e) Natural Fibres
The dates of Management Committee meetings for Natural Fibres were:
129W
2002 2003 25 July 18 March 1 August 28 May 4 September 13 November 29 November The meetings on 1 August 2002 and 13 November 2002 took place in the margins of the Management Committees for Sugar and for Oils and Fats respectively. The types of issues discussed include harvest and market reports for cotton, flax, hemp and silk; estimating cotton production so that a provisional reduction of the guide price can be calculated; revising cotton production estimates; fixing actual cotton production; apportioning a National Guaranteed Quantity of 5000 tonnes of short fibre between 5 minor producing countries; and contributing to the design of a fibre industry questionnaire. The Scottish Executive is regularly informed of the dates of Natural Fibres Management Committees, usually about a week beforehand, in case a representative wishes to attend.
Management Committee for (f) Milk and Milk Products
The dates of Management Committee meetings for milk and milk products were:
2002 2003 11/25 July 16/30 January 29 August 13/27 February 12/26 September 13/27 March 10/24 October 10/24 April 14/28 November 15/28 May 12 December 12/26 June The Scottish Executive was informed a week prior to every meeting, they did not ask to attend any Management Committee. General subjects discussed at Milk Management Committees included, changes to annex I and non annex I export refunds, butter and skimmed milk powder intervention stocks, butter for food manufacture, butter for concentration, aid rates for casein, and the monthly market situation reporting. To view fully all items that were discussed at milk Management Committees please visit the following website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/milk/mancom/2002/Archives.htm
Management Committee for (g) Beef and Veal
The dates of Management Committee meetings for beef and veal were:
2002 2003 12/26 July 17/31 January 30 August 14/28 February 13/27 September 14/28 March 11/25 October 10/24 April 15/29 November 16 May 13 December 13/27 June The normal work of this Committee involves regular consideration of the market situation, including production, consumption, imports and exports. Its work also includes setting export refund rates, adjudicating intervention tenders (purchases and sales), opening import tariff quotas, consideration of technical aspects of beef carcase classification and price reporting and consideration of implementational aspects of the various producer support schemes and technical measures. The Scottish Executive was informed of these meetings at the same time as Defra, and it is for the Executive to decide whether or to not to attend as part of the UK delegation. An official from the Scottish Executive attended the Committee on 28 February.
130WManagement Committee for (h) Sheep and Goats
The dates of Management Committee meetings for sheep and goats were:
2002 2003 29 November 13 January 14/28 February 28 March 10/25 April 13/27 June The normal work of this Committee involves regular consideration of the market situation (including production, consumption, imports and exports). Its work also includes opening import tariff quotas, consideration of technical aspects of sheep carcase classification, price reporting and consideration of implementational aspects of producer support schemes and other technical measures. The Scottish Executive was informed of these meetings at the same time as Defra, and it is for the Executive to decide whether or to not to attend as part of the UK delegation. No official from the Executive attended the Management Committee on Sheep and Goats.1nb
Management Committee for (i) Pigmeat
The dates of Management Committee meetings for pigmeat were:
2002 2003 9 July 21 January 18 September 18 February 17 October 8 April 19 November 21 May 5/10 December 17 June The Scottish Executive was informed a week prior to every meeting, and for training purposes attended the September meeting. General subjects discussed at pigmeat Management Committees included, changes to export refunds, the monthly market situation reporting, pig carcase grading classification and aids to private storage.
Management Committee for (j) Poultrymeat and Eggs
The dates of Management Committee meetings for poultrymeat and eggs were:
2002 2003 9 July 21 January 18 September 18 February 17 October 11 March 19 November 8 April 10 December 20 May 17 June General subjects discussed at the eggs and poultry Management Committees included changes to export refunds for eggs, egg products (including non annex I products) and frozen chicken, representative prices, monthly market situation reporting, balance sheets and public stocks, arid proposed amendments to egg marketing legislation. To view the latest agenda and debrief for the most recent meeting please visit the following website: http://defraweb/foodrin/poultrv/mancom/brussels.htm
131WManagement Committee for (K) Fresh Fruit and Vegetables and (L) Products Produced from Processed Fruit and Vegetables
The dates of Management Committee meetings for (k) and (1) fresh and processed fruit and vegetables were:
2002 2003 16 July 10 January 17 September 11/19 February 15 October 12 March 12 November 8/29 April 10 December 6/14 May 13/23/24 June The Scottish Executive was informed as soon as dates of meetings were known, they did not ask to attend any Management Committee. The subjects discussed at fresh and processed fruit and vegetables Management Committees included the setting of export refunds, aid for certain products grown for processing and arrangements for assisting Producer Organisations.
Management Committee for (m) Hops
There were no meetings of the Management Committee for hops during this period.
Management Committee for (n) Seeds
The Seeds Management Committee met jointly with the Sugar Management Committee on 19 December 2002, and jointly with the Cereals Management Committee on 9 January 2003, to discuss a draft Regulation setting the minimum aid rate for certain agricultural products for the Outermost Regions (Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores). The Scottish Executive receives the agenda for each meeting at the same time as Defra, normally a week prior to the meeting taking place.
Management Committee for (o) Live Plants and Floriculture Products
There were no meetings of the Management Committee for live plants and floriculture products during this period.