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|Litres
-----------------------------------------------------------
Wholesale quota |14,503,970,784
Direct sales quota (of which
5" per cent. was
temporarily suspended |372,501,084
European Community regulations do not allow the sale of quota as such, but quota is transferred in proportion to the areas used for milk production when all or part of a dairy holding is sold, leased, or transferred by inheritance. The total volume of quota transferred in the United Kingdom in each of the last three quota years was as follows :
|Pence per litre
------------------------------------------------
April 1986 |12.5 to 14
April 1987 |25 to 27
April 1988 |27 to 30
My Department does not collect price data on transactions involving quotas. Information available from published sources suggests that typical values attributed to quota in England and Wales were as follows :
|Pence per litre
------------------------------------------------
April 1986 |12.5 to 14
April 1987 |25 to 27
April 1988 |27 to 30
Amortised costs over a number of years at various interest rates can be calculated by applying appropriate equivalent annual cost factors. These can be obtained from "Investment Appraisal in the Public Sector, Her Majesty's Treasury 1982" (page 40). A copy is in the Library of the House.
Column 1154
Farm Costs and Incomes
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provision is made by his Department for the cost of land in calculating farm production costs and farm incomes.
Mr. Maclean : There are various ways of allowing for the costs of land, which may be either tenanted or owner-occupied, in the calculation of farm costs and incomes.
In the calculation of measures of aggregate farming incomes, allowance is made for the rent paid on tenanted land. In respect of owner-occupied land, allowance is made for the cost of land maintenance and improvement but not for the purchase of land, the return to use of which is thus included within the resulting measures of farm income.
The treatment of land costs in the farm business surveys, which provide data by farm type, is described in pages 111-112 of the 1989 edition of farm incomes in the United Kingdom, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
EC (Production Figures)
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will bring up to date the EEC production figures for (a) rapeseed, (b) sunflowerseed and (c) soya beans on the basis given in his written reply dated 18 February 1988.
Mr. Curry : The information requested, which updates that contained in the Prime Minister's reply to the hon. Member on 22 February 1988, is as follows :
|Rapeseed |Sunflowerseed|Soya
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1987<1>
EC-10 |5,945 |2,807 |1,802
EC-12 |5,955 |3,907 |1,808
1988<2>
EC-10 |5,300 |2,880 |1,584
EC-12 |5,312 |4,177 |1,600
<1> Actual production figures. Data are from management committee
statistics.
<2> Estimates of production adopted by EC Commission for the purpose
of determining adjustments to common prices in 1988-89 under the
maximum guaranteed quantity systems; or figures derived therefrom.
Note: All figures are in '000 tonnes.
Agricultural Wages
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will bring up to date the figures shown in appendices VI and VII of Government economic service working paper No. 52 on wages and employment in agriculture.
Mr. Maclean : This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Agricultural Holdings
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will bring up to date the number of agricultural holdings and tenanted holdings on the same basis as that given in his written reply of 9 May 1985, Official Report, column 502.
Column 1155
Mr. Maclean : The information requested is as follows. The definitions are the same as those given in the reply of 9 May 1985.
Main Agricultural holdings in England and Wales
Thousands
Year |Main holdings |of which rented or mainly
|rented
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985 |183.6 |51.4
1986 |184.7 |49.9
1987 |185.8 |48.8
1988 |186.9 |47.9
Partnerships
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report (a) the number of whole-time partnerships and the number of partners, (b) the number of part-time partnerships and part-time partners, and (c) the number of mixed partnerships and number of whole-time and part-time partners
(2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing farm holdings by size in terms of ownership by (a) companies, (b) partnerships and (c) individuals at the latest census.
Mr. Maclean : This information is not available.
White Sugar
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the years since 1983-84 (a) the United Kingdom price for white sugar and (b) the world price, on the same basis as that given in his written answer of 9 May 1985, Official Report, column 497.
Mr. Curry : The information requested is given in the table :
Sugar prices
|United Kingdom price |World price £/t<2>
|£/t<1>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84 |364.57 |1983 |141.14
1984-85 |364.57 |1984 |103.47
1985-86 |368.96 |1985 |80.99
1986-87 |<3>372.37 |1986 |104.20
1987-88 |<3>389.69 |1987 |107.95
1988-89 1 July 1988 to 31 December 1988 |386.40 |1988 |n/a
1 January 1989 to 30 June 1989 |<3>397.55
1989-90 |<3>401.96 |1989 |n/a
<1> The price given is the effective United Kingdom support price for white sugar, ie the intervention price plus the
storage levy. The storage levy changed in July 1986, 1988 and 1989.
<2> The heading to this table in the reply dated 9 May 1985 should have indicated it gave the London daily price for raw
sugar rather than white sugar. There is no single world price for white sugar. The raw sugar prices were obtained, as
previously, from the International Sugar Organisation.
<3> Indicates changes in green rates.
Wine
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since
Column 1156
1983-84 the (a) guide, (b) intervention, (c) threshold and (d) other prices for wine, and the amount spent by way of price support and other data on the same basis as that provided in his written reply of 2 May 1985, Official Report, column 201.Mr. Maclean : The information requested is provided in the tables.
Averages
Guide price, activating price, reference price for wine and average
weighted producer prices
ecu/per cent. vol./hectolitre
Wine year<1> |<2>Guide Price |<3>Activating |<4>Reference |Average weighted producer
|prices
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1984-85 |3.30 |3.04 |4.36 |2.51
1985-86 |3.30 |3.04 |4.36 |2.61
1986-87 |3.30 |3.04 |4.36 |2.38
1987-88 |3.23 |2.97 |4.36 |2.44
1988-89 |3.23 |2.97 |4.36 |2.78
1989-90 |3.22 |2.96 |4.36 |n.a.
Note: All prices calculated on average of red and white wine (RI and AI) prices.
<1> Commodity year runs from 1 September to 31 August.
<2> The "guide price" is the equivalent of a target price
<3> The "activating price" is set at 92 per cent. of the guide price and triggers some intervention.
<4> The Reference price is the Community threshold price for imports.
Costs of wine regime MECU Year |Total cost of regime|Surplus disposal<2> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1984 |1,223 |940 1985 |921 |664 1986 |631 |462 1987 |800 |599 1988 |<1>1,546 |<1>724 <1> Provisional figures <2> Distillation of wine/compulsory distillation of the by-products of winemaking. Source: EC Commission financial reports (1984-87) EC Commission working document (1988)
Volume of Wine Distilled
millions of hectolitres
Year |Volume Distilled Under
|822/87
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1984-85 |29.9
1985-86 |23.8
1986-87 |44.5
1987-88 |40.5
Production, Imports and Exports of Wine millions of hectolitres Year |Production|Imports |Exports ------------------------------------------------------- 1984-85 |147.7 |4.5 |10.2 1985-86 |142.7 |4.2 |8.5 1986-87 |200.3 |1.5 |10.9 1987-88 |209.0 |1.7 |10.6 1984-85; 1985-86 Community of 10. 1986-87 Community of 11. 1987-88 Community of 12.
Common Agricultural Policy
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for all common
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agricultural policy products for each year since 1973 (a) public storage costs, (b) export refunds and (c) the quantities in both cases.Mr. Maclean [holding answer 27 July 1989] : Information on the main components of expenditure under the common agricultural policy is set out in the financial aspects section of the Commission's annual publication, "The Agricultural Situation in the Community". Copies of this publication, for the years 1973 to 1988, are in the Library of the House.
These reports set out for each product the quantities held in public storage on a given date and total exports from the Community. Details of expenditure given in the same reports reflect budget costs in the year in question but do not relate directly to the quantities held in store, or exported, in those years.
Dredging Vessels (Recording Equipment)
Mr. Carttiss : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has decided to limit the provision of marine position recording equipment for dredging vessels to one authorised supplier ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : No decisions have yet been made on application of marine position recorders to dredging vessels.
Chernobyl
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the total amount of compensation paid to farmers as a result of the losses arising from the radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident.
Mr. Maclean : Expenditure authorised to 30 June 1989 under the sheep compensation scheme 1986 has amounted to £6,284,286.
Anthrax
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of anthrax have been reported during the last seven years.
Mr. Curry : The number of cases of anthrax reported and confirmed in each year since 1982 is as follows :
|Number
----------------------
1982 |20
1983 |14
1984 |9
1985 |6
1986 |14
1987 |6
1988 |3
<1>1989 |18
<1> To date.
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what deficiencies of resources and materials were revealed during the recent outbreak of anthrax ; and what steps are being taken to remedy them.
Mr. Curry : As was already known, the outbreak demonstrated that commercial supplies of anthrax vaccine had ceased to be available. We were already investigating the possibility of alternative sources and are continuing to do so.
Column 1158
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the restrictions on public access to land suspected of being infected by anthrax were lifted.
Mr. Curry : Public entry to premises under restriction because of anthrax is at the discretion of the owner.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of animals by type that have left the Singret farm, Clwyd in each week since 19 April ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry [holding answer 27 July 1989] : The following animals have left Singret farm since 19 April :
|Pigs
---------------------------------------
20 April |19
Thereafter, week commencing:
24 April |185
1 May |183
8 May |249
15 May |220
22 May |269
29 May |245
5 June |205
12 June |219
19 June |150
26 June |70
3 July |210
10 July |113
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food where the slurry from the pigs recently destroyed during an anthrax outbreak in north Wales is being dumped ; what steps are being taken to eliminate the risk of contamination ; and what is being done with the rest of the waste from the slaughtered animals.
Mr. Curry [holding answer 27 July 1989] : All slurry on the farm is being treated with formalin on site by the local authority, to inactivate any anthrax organisms that may be present. After treatment it is being disposed of on a licensed waste disposal site at Warrington in Cheshire.
The carcases of slaughtered animals are being incinerated on site and the ashes disposed of in an approved manner.
Straw and Stubble Burning
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking with regard to the recommendations of the straw and stubble burning report recently produced by the National Society for Clean Air and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The views of the National Society for Clean Air have been carefully noted along with those of other interested organisations.
Poultry (Monitoring)
Mr. Nicholas Baker : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the results of monitoring of poultry stocks pursuant to the Testing of Poultry Flocks Order 1989 and in particular the related costs of sampling borne by the poultry industry.
Mr. Curry : The Testing of Poultry Flocks Order 1989 requires the owners of all laying, breeding and rearing flocks comprising more than 25 birds and flocks of less
Column 1159
than 25 birds which sell eggs for human consumption, to monitor their flocks for evidence of salmonella. To date there have been 562 reports of isolations of invasive salmonella. With regard to the cost of sampling I would refer the hon. Member to my recent reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) on 27 July.Fishermen (Taw/Torridge Estuary)
Mr. Speller : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he proposes to restrict the rights of people fishing with rod and line only from small boats in the tidal waters of the Taw/Torridge estuary ; and what representations he has received on the effect of the proposals upon the amateur private fishermen unable to cross the Bideford bar in a small boat.
Mr. Curry : Proposals to establish a series of nursery areas in the coastal waters of England and Wales for the protection of juvenile bass were published on 8 June. These included a prohibition on fishing for bass in the River Taw, east of a line from the western end of Braunton Pill to the site of the former power station at Yelland, and the River Torridge, south of a line from Zeta berth to the opposite shore. Fishing for bass and other sea fish would be allowed between these points and the Bideford bar under permit. These restrictions would operate only from May to October. Representations have been received from a number of local interests including the Braunton Small Boat and Angling Association.
National Consumer Council
Mr. David Davis : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the chairman of the National Consumer Council and what was discussed.
Mr. Gummer : I last met the chairman of the National Consumer Council, Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes, earlier today when we discussed food safety and other consumer topics for which this Ministry has responsibility.
Edible Crabs
Mr. Harris : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to amend the regional minimum landing sizes for edible crabs as proposed by his Department in November 1988 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : Following careful consideration of the comments received from the fishing industry and other interests on the consultative proposals published in November 1988, the Fisheries Ministers have decided that a number of changes should be made to the provisions of the Undersized Crabs Order 1986.
From 1 January 1990 the minimum landing size of 115 mm for edible crabs (Cancer pagurus) will be revoked except for those crabs landed in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cumbrian sea fisheries district.The minimum landing size for edible crabs landed in Kent, Essex, north-east England, Wales north of Caemas Head, north-east England and Scotland will be increased to 125 mm. That for crabs landed in Somerset, Avon and Gloucestershire will be increased to 130 mm. In the Isles of Scilly the minimum landing size for female crabs will become 140 mm and that for male crabs 160 mm. At the
Column 1160
same time British vessels will be prohibited from carrying edible crabs under 125 mm except in the Cumbrian sea fisheries district and the coastal waters adjacent to Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Amending regulations will be laid before Parliament in the autumn. Further changes in the provisions of the Undersized Crabs Order 1986 will be considered once the Ministry's directorate of fisheries research has completed a detailed investigation into the state of crab stocks in the English Channel fishery.Marine Mammals
Dr. Godman : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has held discussions recently with fishermen's organisations concerning the reporting and monitoring of the incidental capture of marine mammals ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry [holding answer 25 July 1989] : The fisheries department will be liaising with fishermen's organisations about proposals for a monitoring scheme on incidental capture, once the details for this have been finalised. To date it has not been apparent that this phenomenon presents anything like a significant problem in our waters, but we will keep the situation under general review.
Badgers
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list for each year from 1970 to 1989 all the parishes in which tuberculosis has been found in badgers and the years for each of these in which tuberculosis positive were found ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will list for each year from 1970 to 1989, the parishes in which tuberculosis was found in cattle and the years for each of these in which cattle reactors to the tuberculosis test were found ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) if he will list for each year from 1970 to 1989, parishes in which badger removal operations have taken place, and the years for each parish in which these operations have taken place ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry [holding answer 26 July 1989] : Only part of the data requested is readily available. I made arrangements for a summary table to be deposited in the Libraries of the House. Further information on the interim badger control strategy, adopted following Professor Dunnet's independent review is published annually. The 13th report on bovine tuberculosis in badgers will be published later this year.
Shell Fish
Dr. Godman : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any proposals concerning the introduction of a quota system for prawn fisheries in United Kingdom waters ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry [holding answer 26 July 1989] : I have no plans. Fishing for prawns of the pandulus species is already subject to a minimum mesh size of 30 mm except for pandulus montagui for which a minimum mesh size of 20 mm is permitted.
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he takes to ensure that
Column 1161
shellfish farming of (a) alien species or (b) native species is compatible with the designation of special protection areas under the European Community rivers directive or designation as a site of special scientific interest ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Curry [holding answer 26 July 1989] : I refer the hon. Member to the replies given yesterday to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark).
Potato Marketing Board
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the chairman of the Potato Marketing Board.
Mr. Curry [holding answer 26 July 1989] : I have not met the chairman but intend to do so at the earliest mutual date.
Dairy Quota
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the gross income from the sale of dairy quotas in each of the past three years, the amount of the capital gain, and the amount of capital gains tax payable thereon ; and what is his forecast for the current financial year.
Mr. Curry [holding answer 27 July 1989] : I have made no such estimate.
Regional Panels
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his answer of 21 July, which of his regional panel members are organic farmers ; and whether he intends to appoint more organic farmers to his regional panels.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 27 July 1989] : No member of regional panels in England currently farms to a recognised standard of organic production. In considering future appointments to regional panels, regard is given amongst other factors, to the principal types of farming activities undertaken in the region concerned.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will consider appointing representatives of environmental or consumer organisations on his regional panels ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 27 July 1989] : The membership of regional panels is undertaken in a personal capacity ; panel members do not represent organisations to which they may belong.
Tenderisers
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is planning to issue any new restrictions, control or advice on the use of papain or other tenderisers.
Mr. Curry [holding answer 27 July 1989] : We propose to issue guidance on the administration by injection of the enzyme papain to cattle before slaughter in the codes of practice which the Government propose to issue in response to the Farm Animal Welfare Council's report on the welfare of livestock (red meat animals) at slaughter.
Column 1162
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether recent research by the Farm Animal Welfare Council has proved that no traces of tenderisers administered to cattle shortly before slaughter remain as residues in the meat ;
(2) whether the recent research by the Farm Animal Welfare Council on the effects of tenderisers on cattle has been considered by his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry [holding answer 27 July 1989] : I am not aware of any research by the council on the effects of tenderisers. Research was carried out by veterinary officials into the effects of the injection of the vegetable enzyme papain on the live animal. This indicates that traces of it remain in the meat after slaughter but that it will evaporate during cooking. Papain is a natural vegetable protein which in any case would be destroyed by the normal digestive juices. The results of the research were taken into account in reaching a decision on its use.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Immigration
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how long a person applying for entry clearance for settlement at the British post in (a) Manila, (b) Accra, (c) Lagos, (d) Kingston, (e) Nicosia and (f) Cairo on 31 March or the latest convenient date could expect to wait for (i) interview, (ii) referral of the case to the Home Office and the requested information being received by the post, (iii) decisions and (iv) an explanatory statement prepared by the post in the event of an appeal against a refusal to be dispatched to the immigration appellate authorities in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Sainsbury : The information requested at (ii) and (iii) is not available. Processing times vary according to the circumstances of individual cases.
As to (i) and (iv) the position at 15 July was as follows :
P
|(i) |(iv)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manila |7 weeks |within 3 months
Accra |5 weeks |within 3 months
Lagos |1 week |within 2 months
Kingston |16 weeks |within 2 months
Nicosia |Normally same day |within 7 days
| (but 12 weeks for
| non-residents)
Cairo |Normally same day |within 10 days
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how long a person applying for entry clearance on 31 March or the latest convenient date at each post in the Indian sub- continent could expect to wait, in each queue, for (a) first interview, (b) referral of the case to the Home Office and the requested information being received by the post, (c) decision after first interview, and (d) for the explanatory statement prepared by the post in the case of appeal against any refusal to be dispatched to the immigration appellate authorities in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Sainsbury : (a) : I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Leicester East (Mr. Vaz) on 17 July.
Column 1163
(b) and (c) : This information is not available. Processing times vary according to the circumstances of individual cases. (d) : Average dispatch times of explanatory statements from receipt of an appeal are :
|Settlement |Non-Settlement
------------------------------------------------------------
Dhaka |12 weeks |12 weeks
Karachi |15 weeks |5 weeks
New Delhi |23 weeks |18 weeks
Madras |4-6 weeks |4-6 weeks
Calcutta |5 weeks |5 weeks
Islamabad |6 weeks |4 weeks
Bombay |12 weeks |12 weeks
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for naturalisation as British dependent territories citizens on the basis of a connection with Hong Kong have been (a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused for each year since 1985 and to the nearest available date.
Mr. Maude : The figures for applications for naturalisation as British dependent territories citizens on the basis of a connection with Hong Kong are as follows :
Period |Received|Approved|Refused --------------------------------------------- 1985 |844 |701 |151 1986 |861 |759 |98 1987 |1,233 |807 |70 1988 |1,016 |1,074 |60 <1>1989 |811 |604 |37 <1> January to June.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British dependent territories citizens from Hong Kong have (a) applied for and (b) been granted the status of British national (overseas).
Mr. Maude : A total of 70,268 applications for British national (overseas) passports have been received, of which 68,909 have been granted. The remainder are still being processed.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many explanatory statements related to entry clearance appeals were awaiting typing at (i) each post in the Indian sub- continent, (ii) in Manila, (iii) Lagos and (iv) Accra, on the latest available date ; how many staff are employed, both full-time and part-time, to type statements ; and when he expects any backlogs to be cleared.
Mr. Sainsbury : The information requested is given in the following table (as at 15 July) :
|(a)<1> |(b)<2>
----------------------------------------
Karachi |38 |1
Islamabad |60 |13
Dhaka |233 |5
New Delhi |50 |(5)
Madras |Nil |(1)
Calcutta |4 |(1)
Bombay |28 |(7)
Accra |9 |(1)
Manila |40 |1 and (4)
Lagos |Nil |2 and (4)
<1> Numbers of explanatory statements
awaiting typing.
<2> Staff whose duties include typing
explanatory statements (staff employed
on other typing work shown in
brackets).
Column 1164
The backlog in Dhaka is due to recruitment problems and will be cleared as soon as the typing establishment is at full strength.Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the present waiting times to first interview for all categories of applicant in each country and at each post in the Indian sub-continent.
Mr. Sainsbury : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on 17 July at column, 4-5.
Subsidiarity
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the treaty or other basis on which the European Council at Madrid adopted the principle of subsidiarity ; for what purposes European Community legislation is to take precedence over that of members states ; and what body of persons are to make the initial and financial decisions on whether or not national legislation is sufficient to achieve those purposes.
Mr. Maude : My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development explained the concept of subsidiarity in the Adjournment debate on EC institutions on 4 July. This is a general policy concept rather than a specific legislative proposal. It therefore has no specific treaty base although an example of the principle can be found in article 130r. It is for the Commission to take subsidiarity into account when proposing legislation, and the Council to do so when taking decisions.
Mr. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when and by whom Mr. Kikmatyar was invited to the United Kingdom ; with whom he had discussions during his visit ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury : Mr. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar last visited the United Kingdom in November 1988 on a private visit at his own initiative. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials met him informally as part of their established practice of keeping in touch with a wide range of Afghan opinion.
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