§ 15. Mr. Marlowasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will raise the matter of African, Caribbean and Pacific imports of sugar into the European Economic Community at the next meeting of Community Agriculture Ministers.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerNo, Sir. These imports are fully safeguarded under the Lomé convention.
§ Mr. MarlowAs the price of sugar on the world market from ACP countries over the past four years, with the exception of last year, has been half the price of European Community sugar, will my right hon. Friend impress upon the Community that it would be far better if we could have guaranteed arrangements for a greater supply of sugar from those countries, with which we should wish to trade, rather than expensive sugar from other European countries?
§ Mr. WalkerThe question asked was about an agreement willingly made and a figure agreed to by the 445 Lomé countries. My hon. Friend has just pointed out the immense advantage that the Lomé countries have had from the existence of a European sugar regime which in four of the last five years has brought them such benefit.
Dr. Mark HughesDoes the right hon. Gentleman accept that, so long as the access of those countries to the European Community market is quantitatively limited, their ability to increase their production and sell it on the world market is also inhibited by the sale of surplus sugar with a taxpayers' subsidy on that same market?
§ Mr. WalkerYes, Sir. That is why the British Government have always followed suggestions in the Community which would enable the Community to become a participant in the International Sugar Agreement under which these things could be properly regulated.
§ Sir William ClarkCan my right hon. Friend give the House some indication as to why the EEC has not yet joined the ISA? Can he say when he thinks that the EEC might join that agreement?
§ Mr. WalkerI hope that if agreement can be reached on sensible quota levels this year, what is now a Commission proposal to join the ISA will be supported by other countries. As my hon. Friend knows, it has always had the support of the United Kingdom.
| Stocks of cereals held in Intervention in the European Community as at 31 January 1981 | ||||
| Tonnes | ||||
| Wheat | Durum Wheat | Barley | Rye | |
| Belgium | 58,985 | — | — | — |
| Denmark | 58,948 | — | 13,521 | 62,081 |
| France | 2,653,790 | 500 | 73,609 | 2,134 |
| Germany | 1,634,205 | — | 459,917 | 442,916 |
| Greece | — | — | — | — |
| Ireland | — | — | 280 | — |
| Italy | 317,121 | 156,372 | — | — |
| Luxembourg | 2,615 | — | — | 5,481 |
| Netherlands | 37,213 | — | — | — |
| United Kingdom | 87,321 | — | 490,588 | 304 |
| 4,850,198 | 156,872 | 1,037,915 | 512,916 |