HL Deb 20 June 1991 vol 530 cc301-2

5.36 p.m.

Baroness Trumpington rose to move that the order laid before the House on 13th May be approved [20th Report from the Joint Committee].

The noble Baroness said: My Lords, the order before us today amends the 1987 Home-Grown Cereals Authority levy scheme which empowers the Home-Grown Cereals Authority to raise levies from cereal producers, dealers and processors in order to fund its activities. These activities include the provision of market information, UK cereals export development, support for Food from Britain and research and development.

The principal change being made by the order is to introduce two different rates of processor levy for funding the authority's research and development work from 1st July 1991 in place of the present single rate of processor levy. A reduced rate would be payable by animal feed processors while other cereal processors, such as millers and maltsters, would pay the standard rate of processor levy. This new funding arrangement follows extensive consultations with all concerned and has been agreed by UK cereal trade interests. The actual rates of levy to apply from 1st July are being set in a separate rate of levy order which was laid before the House on 10th June.

The opportunity is also being taken to make a couple of small technical changes to the 1987 levy scheme so as to fulfil an undertaking given to the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments when it considered a previous variation of the scheme and the introduction of the HGCA oilseeds levy scheme last year. One of the amendments deletes the reference to the recovery of unpaid levy summarily in magistrates courts, leaving such debts to be recovered through the usual procedures of the civil courts. The other amendment provides that information which the HGCA may require from levy payers should be limited to that which is necessary for determining their liability to a levy, bringing the scheme into line with the requirement in the parent legislation. I commend the order to the House.

Moved, That the order laid before the House on 13th May be approved [20th Report from the Joint Committee].—(Baroness Trumpington.)

Lord Gallacher

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for explaining the order. We do not oppose the order as such and yet I wonder whether the Home-Grown Cereals Authority levy systems are not becoming too complicated for all but the expert to understand. The order imposes two rates of processor levy; a reduced rate for cereals processed for animal feed, and a standard rate levy in respect of all other processed cereals. If we add to those the European Community levies for cereals with abatements thereof in respect of two set-aside schemes announced by the noble Baroness in the Official Report of 18th June (at col. WA10) plus levies introduced to enable the Home-Grown Cereals Authority to contribute to the funds of Food for Britain, one gets a situation where at least one noble Lord will soon need a plain man's guide to the Home-Grown Cereals Authority levy system; and that after assiduous reading of the Home Grown Cereals Authority's annual report. The keeping of records for levies paid is onerous for small concerns. Moreover, the inspection of records must add to the costs involved. As I said, the system continues to grow. I hope that the consultation process indulged in by the HGCA—an organisation which I much admire—includes a broad spectrum of interest so that small growers are fully consulted and their representations taken fully into account. Having said that, I should just like to say that we support the order.

Baroness Trumpington

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Gallacher, for his welcome. I note what he said. I should perhaps remind him that we have in fact consulted on the matter. I commend the order to the House.

On Question, Motion agreed to.