HL Deb 25 July 1974 vol 353 cc1857-9
LORD BALERNO

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much frozen beef can be imported into the United Kingdom under the GATT levy-free quota during the suspension of the issue of import licences announced in the House on July 17.

THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY (LORD BESWICK)

My Lords, the total United Kingdom share of the GATT quota for the levy-free import of frozen beef in 1974 is 11,700 tons, of which about 10,000 tons remain to be used in the period up to the end of 1974. I wish to thank the noble Lord for putting down this Question and I am sorry I was not able to give him a complete answer to his supplementary question last week.

LORD BALERNO

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for the Answer to the Question, which will he of considerable interest to the agricultural press community, may I ask him from which country the greatest amount of this quota of frozen beef is obtained?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, there are a number of countries. It is mainly Australian, and some comes from Argentina and Botswana.

LORD BLYTON

My Lords, does not the Minister think that it is better to clear this beef altogether and to let us have free import of beef from wherever we can buy cheaply, instead of putting it into cold storage in the Common Market, losing money and then having to pay for it as we did with butter?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I agree with that, and I think that the headage payment of which I gave details last week will help towards that objective.

LORD ROYLE

My Lords, I wonder whether my noble friend could give us any information as to whether the Government have taken a decision on the distribution of this meat, particularly, for example, in the social sphere?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, my noble friend will be referring to the beef already in intervention. The Community are now preparing a draft scheme for the distribution of meat at a reduced price to certain non-profit-making social institutions. Her Majesty's Government will be preparing plans for the implementation of this scheme. The possibility of distributing it to those in receipt of social security benefits is still under consideration.

LORD DAVIES OF LEEK

My Lords, could my noble friend tell me whether he is aware that I was unable to ask a pungent question on this matter because, in this mysterious lexicon of acronyms, I have "OATT"? What is it? I presume that it is "GATT".

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I am sorry that my noble friend has been prevented from asking one of his special questions. I think that the Order Paper should show "GATT"—the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.