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European Council

The Prime Minister knows that there is little support in this country for using our taxpayers’ money to support French farmers or to support subsidised exports of foodstuffs to the developing world, but he is aware that British farmers are already grappling with the biggest change in agriculture policy since 1947. Is he aware that his remarks in the past few days have caused considerable uncertainty and confusion at home among our farmers? In the light of his comments a few minutes ago, is he telling the House that if the CAP were to result in further reductions to farmers’ payments above and beyond those already in train, the British Government would make them up to the level already planned?