asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received representations about limiting the over-production of cereals in Britain and the European Economic Community through a policy of taxing or controlling the use of nitrogen; and if he will make a statement.

We have received a number of letters suggesting the imposition of some form of tax, levy or quota on the use of nitrogenous fertiliser. However, we have concluded that such matters would be neither efficient nor effective as a means of reducing the production of cereals and other agricultural produce in surplus. They would operate indiscriminately against crops not in surplus, would be costly to administer and could put at risk the viability of many farms.