§ Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ Whether all beasts which qualify for the Beef Premium Payment will also qualify for acceptance into intervention; and if not what extra quality standards will apply.
619§ Lord STRABOLGIIn the beef support arrangements that we operate in the United Kingdom intervention and premiums have different, though complementary, purposes and the standards are different. In Great Britain the current minimum qualifying weight for intervention is 661 lbs. dressed carcase weight for steers and 476 lbs. for heifers compared with minima of 434 lbs. and 374 lbs. respectively for beef premium scheme. Carcases accepted into intervention must have a smoother and more even fat cover than is required for the been premium scheme and must be of superior conformation. The surface of the carcase must not be damaged by bruising or warbles or by any other defect which might affect its value after freezing and storage.
In Northern Ireland minimum qualifying weights are the same for both schemes but the general fleshing standards are higher for intervention than the minimum required for the beef premium scheme. Furthermore carcases with a rather thicker fat covering can qualify for beef premium scheme but not for intervention.
§ Lord STANLEY of ALDER LEY asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ Whether it is true that Intervention Centres in the United Kingdom will only accept complete sides of beef and will not accept deliveries of one metric tonne of forequarters or hindquarters, as stated in the Intervention Board' s Explanatory Leaflet (Support Buying for Beef) of March 1975; and if so—
- (a) when the arrangements were so changed;
- (b) how much notice was given of such a change;
- (c) who authorised such a change; and
- (d) why Parliament was not informed, since the change affected the Beef Premium (Protection of Payments) Order 1975.
§ Lord STRABOLGIIt is true that the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce is not currently permitted to accept offers of beef consisting wholly of hindquarters or forequarters. The minimum quantity which may be purchased is 2 metric tonnes of carcases, sides or compensated quarters. Purchase of hindquarters was suspended on 26th May 1975 and forequarters on 1st November 1975. The suspension of purchases of hindquarters was announced in the EEC Regulation Number 1315/75 of 23rd May 1975 published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 24th May 1975 (OJ No. L133 pp. 44–47) and on 14th May 1975 the Intervention Board gave notice of this development. The suspension of purchases of forequarters was announced in the EEC Regulation No. 2823/75 of 30th October 1975 published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 31st October 1975 (OJ No. L280 pp. 38–40). The Intervention Board informed all those who subsequently inquired about offers into intervention and on 10th December 1975 an amendment to the explanatory leaflet was issued. These changes were authorised by the Commission of the European Communities with the agreement of the Management Committee for Beef and Veal. I am unaware that the changes had any impact on the Beef Premiums (Protection of Payments) Order 1975.