§ 7. Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tons of beef are currently in cold storage (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in the Common Market countries, as a consequence of intervention buying.
§ Mr. BishopPresent stocks of beef held by the United Kingdom Intervention Board are 34.75 tons. According to the latest figures released by the EEC Commission, the total stocks held by the intervention agencies of other member States are just over 300,000 tons.
§ Mr. HooleyDoes my hon. Friend agree that this demonstrates the utter lunacy of the common agricultural policy? Does he also agree that the renegotiations have not altered in any way the techniques of import levies or intervention buying, which will remain the key factors in the CAP? Will he give a categorical assurance that Britain will not indulge in intervention buying?
§ Mr. BishopWhatever views one may take on this, the present policy represents a major breakthrough, as my right hon. Friend said at the time, in making sure that we have the option of not going to intervention. I believe that the present arrangements are satisfactory.
§ Mr. MartenDoes the hon. Gentleman recognise that in a previous answer his right hon. Friend said that he was watching the transitional period? Does he think that his right hon. Friend knows that I have watched with great interest his own transitional period over the Common Market? Cannot the Minister of State come clean on the question which has been put to him? He did not answer it.
§ Mr. BishopThe answer to the question is that the means of support for United Kingdom beef producers this year will be a system of premiums underpinned by intervention buying on a very limited scale. The figures I have given suggest that that is so.