Roger Williams

Liberal Democrats | Brecon and Radnorshire

ILL THOUGHT OUT POLICY CHANGES WILL EXACERBATE FOOD PROBLEMS – WILLIAMS

Commenting on Chancellor Alistair Darling’s letter to EU Finance Ministers, sent ahead of the EU Finance Meeting in Brussels (May 14th), in which he proposes scrapping the CAP and the abolition of import tariffs on agricultural commodities, Roger Williams MP, Liberal Democrat Food and Rural Affairs Spokesperson, said:

“Alistair Darlings statement on the CAP is nothing new and differs very little from the UK Government’s ‘Vision for the Common Agricultural Policy’ which was produced by DEFRA and the Treasury in December 2005.

“At that time the EFRA Select Committee concluded that the Government showed naivety in believing that its ‘vision’ document could be a catalyst for a reform agenda.

“Nothing changes. The Treasury isn’t talking to DEFRA and has no idea how to gain support from its European colleagues.

“The CAP budget now runs at 30% of the EU budget compared with 70% 10 years ago.

“The export refunds are to be abolished by 2013 and import tariffs greatly reduced.

“Europe remains a major food producer supplying many countries that are in food deficit.

“Ill thought, rapid changes to the CAP will mean less food produced in Europe and more hungry people in 3rd world countries.

“At the moment the import tariffs on grain is already 0% so it is having no effect on the price of staple foods in the EU.”