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G8: 2005 Summit

My Lords, on the issue of an end date for agricultural subsidies, the Government have committed themselves to working for an end date. In its manifesto before the election, the Labour Party stated that, were we to be returned as a government, we would work for an end date of 2010. The G8 and the EU have agreed to work to establish a credible end date. In his press conference following the G8 Summit, the Prime Minister said that, on the basis of the discussions, he thought that a credible end date would be agreed at the Hong Kong ministerial meeting in December. So we have an end date that we would like to see and we are working to persuade others that that should be the end date. On the matter of the letter written by the noble Lord, Lord Ezra, who is an expert on these matters, the House always listens to him with great attention when he speaks. The Government will look at his letter and the proposals made in it.