asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken and will take to prevent the imposition by the European Economic Community of a heavy external tariff against New Zealand on the importation of sheepmeat into Great Britain.

The recently published proposals for a common organisation of the market in mutton and lamb contain no provision for greater charges on imports from New Zealand than exist at present. We will continue to make it clear that, to be acceptable to the United Kingdom, any market arrangement must ensure adequate access to the supplies of New Zealand frozen lamb which we need.