MAKING CAP WORK FOR THE POOR

Early day motion 609, tabled 29 January 2003 by John Battle (Labour). Signed by 82 members.

That this House believes that the Common Agricultural Policy in its current form, fails small farmers, the countryside, the environment and consumers, and damages the poorest people in the developing world; notes the proposals put forward by European Commissioner Franz Fischler for the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy; believes that proposals to increase spending on the environment and rural development, redistribute support to the smallest farmers and tackle the problem of trade distorting subsidies, need to be strengthened greatly; welcomes UK pressure for Common Agricultural Policy reform to date; and urges the Government to press for greater reform at the forthcoming rounds of negotiations at the European Committee on Agriculture.

Signatures by party: Labour 50, Liberal Democrat 17, Conservative 5, Labour/Co-operative 4, Plaid Cymru 4, UUP 2.