PROCESSED FOOD EXPORTERS

Early day motion 1527, tabled 8 July 1998 by Lynne Jones (Labour). Signed by 33 members.

That this House is concerned that export refunds, paid to companies which manufacture and export processed food to compensate for the high prices they must pay for EU ingredients under CAP, are to be cut by 30 per cent. by 2000; notes that this change was agreed during the GATT Uruguay Round; fears that without this compensation EU products will become uncompetitive in non-EU markets, and will have an adverse impact on the UK trade balance, seriously threatening jobs in the UK; and, therefore, calls on the Government to ensure that food manufacturers have access to commodities, such as milk and sugar, at world market prices and that, whichever system is chosen to replace export refunds, it is simple to administer.

Signatures by party: Labour 28, Liberal Democrat 3, Labour/Co-operative 1, Plaid Cymru 1.