To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received to make 1 January the date for the implementation of reductions in the green pound disparity; and if he will make a statement.

I have received numerous representations requesting that the devaluation of the green pound for sheepmeat agreed at the 1990 price settlement be brought forward to 1 January 1991. Green pound devaluations for individual commodities normally take place at the start of the marketing year for the commodity in question. The devaluations agreed at this year's price fixing have now taken place for all agricultural commodities except sheepmeat; the green pound devaluation for sheepmeat will take place at the start of the sheepmeat marketing year on 7 January 1991. I do not believe that there is a case for departing from the normal rules for green pound devaluations so far as sheepmeat is concerned; any change would in any case require a proposal from the European Commission and the agreement of the Agriculture Council.