HC Deb 17 May 1973 vol 856 cc1692-4
20. Mr. Jay

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will consider the removal of the import duty now imposed on butter, cheese and lamb imported from the Commonwealth.

Mr. Godber

No, Sir. Butter and cheese imports from all Commonwealth countries other than New Zealand are subject to import levies abated during the transitional period by compensatory amounts. There are lower levies on New Zealand butter and cheese.

I interpose to tell my hon. Friend the Member for Holland with Boston (Mr. Body), in connection with his supplementary question on Question No. 6, that after I told him that his figure was not, in my view, correct, I checked it and found that it was. I apologise to him for that error. The figure he gave for cheese imported from Canada was £245 a ton. That is the correct figure.

To complete the answer, so far as lamb is concerned, our present import duty amounts to 0.8p per 1b.

Mr. Jay

What is preventing the Government from removing these heavy food taxes, which are unnecessarily keeping up the price of food?

Mr. Godber

The right hon. Gentleman knows perfectly well that the adoption of the common agricultural policy imposed certain obligation on the United Kingdom. He is always trying to distort the position to make it appear far worse than it is. To put it in its right perspective, although the Canadian figure is very high, the imports from there were negligible before the import duty was imposed. The important import of Commonwealth butter and cheese is from New Zealand, for which there are special arrangements.

Mr. Jay indicated dissent.

Mr. Godber

It is no good the right hon. Gentleman shaking his head. There are special arrangements with New Zealand, and if he does not know it he should ask the New Zealanders.

Mr. Body

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that now that we have progressively increased the levy from £92 a ton to £245 a ton on Canadian butter it is impossible for Canada, which provided us with comparatively cheap cheese, to gain access to this country? No Canadian Cheddar cheese is able to come here.

Mr. Godber

I have discussed this matter with the Canadian Minister concerned. I remind my hon. Friend again that the bulk of Cheddar cheese that comes from overseas comes from New Zealand, and the levy on New Zealand cheese is £84.50. That is the contrast.

Mr. Lipton

Is not the fact that whether we like it or not, we are completely enslaved by the common agricultural policy and that any questions we address to the right hon. Gentleman are a waste of time?

Mr. Godber

The hon. Gentleman must judge for himself whether his questions are a waste of time for him or anyone else. We are abiding by the common agricultural policy, exactly as the Labour Government said they would abide by it, but within that arrangement we have negotiated substantial assistance. I mentioned the contrast in the price of cheese from New Zealand, which was negotiated. The arrangements that we negotiated in Luxembourg last month are another indication of the way in which we are seeking to safeguard the position of the British consumer.