§ 1. Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what import duty is now imposed on mutton and lamb imports from Australia and New Zealand.
§ The Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Anthony Stodart)The present United Kingdom tariff on mutton and lamb, other than whole bone in mutton carcases, is £0.9335 per cwt. For whole mutton carcases, the tariff is £0.4667 per cwt.
§ Mr. MoateDoes my hon. Friend agree that from 1st January next we shall be progressively adopting a 20 per cent. tariff on sheep meat imports? As there is no Community policy on sheep meat, will my hon. Friend explain what possible justification there is for adopting this quite unnecessary tax on food?
§ Mr. StodartThis is a matter which will be discussed in due course.
§ Mr. JayWhat is the use of the Government's pretending that Government policy is not responsible for the rise in food prices when the Government themselves have imposed this and a whole series of other food taxes in the past year?
§ Mr. StodartThe tariff has nothing whatever to do with the price of lamb. New Zealand supplies have been heavily reduced, not only by drought but by retention for breeding.
§ Mr. BuchanThis is really not good enough. With whom will this matter be discussed? Is it not the responsibility of the Government to decide this matter? Will they stop giving us this nonsense that it is everyone else's responsibility except theirs? Are they not saying, in fact, that they are quite willing to accept a food tax on the people of this country against a background of exploding prices?
§ Mr. StodartThe matter will be discussed in the Council of Ministers in due course. The hon. Gentleman talks about making excuses, but he has been so busy making excuses throughout his period in office that he does not know the difference between excuses and the facts of life.