Agricultural Products (EC Levy)

HC Deb 20 July 1933 vol 46 cc133-5W

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minster of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1977, and at the latest possible date, the average European Community levy payable in the United Kingdom on each of the principal agricultural products as a percentage of (a) the United Kingdom intervention price arid (b) the world price.

Mr. MacGregor

Average annual rates of levy, intervention and wold prices are not readily available.

United Kingdom levy as percentage of (a) the intervention price in the United Kingdom and (b) the world price
Per cent.
	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)	(a)	(b)
Beef and veal	38	48	44	60	47	73	51	90	57	113	61	129	65	141
Pigmeat	6	5	24	25	40	57	32	35	28	28	34	41	40	53
Poultrymeat	—	10	—	18	—	24	—	25	—	22	—	25	—	31
Eggs	—	53	—	100	—	121	—	104	—	58	—	53	—	93
Butter	72	171	75	204	82	291	76	226	57	112	51	90	62	131
Skimmed milk powder	93	307	89	266	92	350	69	151	54	93	52	85	62	120
Common wheat	58	70	55	67	39	42	53	69	59	89	58	81	59	81
Barley	43	41	58	68	25	46	59	79	56	77	60	81	67	99
Sugar	59	103	70	158	72	178	2	2	39	54	65	143	54	96

Notes:

(1) "Intervention prices" have been taken as:

Beef and veal—intervention price converted to carcase equivalent using 54.4 per cent. killing-out co-efficient.

Pigmeat—lowest intervention price.

Butter—intervention price for 82 per cent. butter.

all types of storage for each of the principal agricultural commodities under the common agricultural policy; and what is the forecast for 1983 and 1984.

Mr. Jopling

The information requested is set out in the following table:

However, the following table provides the information requested relating to the first Tuesday in July each year. Third country offer prices used by the Commission to determine levy rates have been taken as the "world" price except for pigmeat, poultryrneat and eggs, in which case the sluicegate price less supplementary levy, where appropriate, has been taken It should be pointed out that the "world" prices derived for the above calculation do not represent those which might obtain were more supplies obtained from non-Community sources.

Skimmed milk powder—intervention price.

Common wheat—reference price for wheat of minimum bread-making quality.

Barley—intervention price.

Sugar—intervention price for white sugar plus storage levy.

There are no intervention prices for poultrymeat and eggs.

(2) "World prices" have been calculated by subtracting the common levy in ecu from the threshold-guide price in ECU. The beef price is also adjusted for duty. In the case of pigmeat, poultrymeat and eggs the "world price" has been taken as the sluicegate price less supplementary levy where appropriate.

(3) The levies taken are at the full rate. In the case of beef, butter and sugar the United Kingdom obtains a large proportion of its supplies at reduced rates of levy.