HC Deb 20 January 1983 vol 35 cc472-3
12. Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what, for each of the past four years for which figures are available, was the European Community entry price expressed as a percentage of the third country offer price for common wheat and white sugar, respectively, using the definitions and methods of calculation previously used by the European Community Commission.

Mr. Peter Walker

With permission, Mr. Speaker, I will publish the information in the Official Report.

Mr. Ross

Does the Minister accept that the last set of published figures showed that the EC price for wheat was 63 per cent. more than the world price, and that for sugar it was 31 per cent. dearer? Does he also accept that Britain pays far more for those goods inside the EC than it would if it were dealing in world markets? Why have the Government stopped publishing the figures?

Mr. Walker

In recent times the price of Community sugar has been well below the world price, so the position varies. It is important to ensure security of supply. During the time that the Government have been in office, farmgate prices have risen not only far less than retail prices in general, but far less than food prices. We have had both stability of prices and security of supply.

Mr. Teddy Taylor

Will my right hon. Friend at least accept that we are doing a great deal of damage to some of the poorer countries by dumping substantial surpluses at prices well below those in the Common Market? Does he have any new plans to reduce large structural surpluses in the EC?

Mr. Walker

The messages that I have received from the poorer countries involved in sugar production show that they are concerned about sugar prices in the Community rising as little as is suggested for the coming year. They receive guaranteed prices for their major exports to the Community.

Following is the information:

Entry price as a percentage of offer price
*Common Wheat †White Sugar
1978–79 193 276
1979–80 163 131
1980–81 146 84
1981–82 154 138

Notes: * Threshold price as percentage of offer price (cif Rotterdam).

† Target price (in place of threshold price) as percentage of offer price.

Source: 1978–79 and 1979–80—Agricultural Situation in the Community Report.

1980–81 and 1981–82—MAFF Estimates on similar basis as far as possible.