§ 2.38 p.m.
§ LORD ARCHIBALDMy Lords, I beg to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether in the past year any wheat has been imported from countries where the producer receives a subsidy, direct or indirect, and, if so, the amount imported from each such country and the amount of the subsidy.]
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, a number of the countries from which wheat is imported have schemes for supporting the prices received by their producers at levels which are, or may be, above the prices ruling in international trade. There are also in operation in a number of these countries various indirect forms of assistance to production. The variations in world market prices and the complex nature of the various forms of indirect assistance make it impossible to measure the amount of direct or indirect subsidy received by producers exporting to this country.
§ LORD ARCHIBALDMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his Answer, may I point out to him that various well-informed people in the agricultural field have made (shall I say?) estimates of the amount of subsidy prevailing in various countries, such as France and North America? Is it not rather surprising that Her Majesty's Government are unable to make an estimate of the amount of the subsidy, whilst well-informed people individually in the industry are able to express confidently what they reckon the amount of the subsidy to be?
§ LORD MANCROFTAn estimate is based solely upon the qualifications of those who make it, if they have no better information available to them. The noble 355 Lord did not ask me to make a guess. If he wants me to make a guess, I can presumably with notice, make it; but that was hardly what he asked Her Majesty's Government to inform him.