CAB128-94_A1b — Page 109

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In a brief discussion, it was noted that the public impression created by General Yazov was that of a traditional Soviet military figure of the Brezhnev era. Mrs Aleksandra Biryukova, Soviet Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Commission for Social Development, was also visiting Britain at the invitation of the

Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The visit had

fone well but it would not be easy to increase the level of trade in the short term.

The Cabinet -

Took note.

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS

5.

Agriculture Council

24-26 July

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EDUCATION AND SCIENCE said that the Agriculture Council on 24-26 July, which he had attended in his former Ministerial capacity, had agreed by qualified major changes in the support arrangements for sheepmeat. perditure in this sector had been increasing rapidly and the changes were the last main element in the reform of the support regimes of the Common Agricultural Policy. The main issue for the United Kingdom had been a discriminatory proposal from the Commission to limit support payments to a given number of ewes per farm. In negotiation this had been modified to payment above the limits at a rate of 50 per cent instead of zero. Although there might be of zero. Although there might be some criticism from farmers, he believed this much improved outcome was fully defensible. The special support arrangements (variable premium) at present operated in beat Britain alone would be phased out, as would the accompanying restrictions on exports to other member states. This had been widely expected, and he did not believe it would provoke criticism: the opportunity for increased exports to France would be beneficial. The Council had also agreed on a regulation enabling stocks in intervention to be used to provide emergency aid for Poland.

ONF

Exports of Cattle

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD sal that, following discussions in the Standing Veterinary Camee, a ban had been imposed on exports of live cattle from the United Kingdom to other member states because of the risk of transmitting bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a disea which had been discovered only in this country. He would discuss with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

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