§ 7. Mr. Jeffrey Archerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the proposed common external tariff on tea in the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartAs my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster reported to the House on 17th May the Community has agreed to an indefinite suspension of the duty on tea. This suspension is to zero in the case of bulk tea, and to 5 per cent. for tea in packets of less than 3 kilogrammes.—[Vol. 817, c. 899–900.]
§ 16. Mr. David Jamesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the effect on the price of wines of joining the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. PriorIt is not possible to arrive at a clear estimate until all the factors bearing on price changes have been determined; but any changes in price would be likely to take place gradually over a period of years.
§ 32. Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of United Kingdom sugar consumption would he expect to be supplied by Australia after 1974 if Great Britain were to enter the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. PriorI would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given on 17th May by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to my hon. Friends the Members for Wembley, South (Sir R. Russell) and Keighley (Miss Joan Hall).—[Vol. 817, c. 859–60.]
§ Mr. Elystan Morganasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the effect upon the smaller milk producers of Great Britain's entry into the Common Market.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartUnited Kingdom membership of the European Econo-290W mic Community would raise the price which the dairy farmer in this country receives for his output. I expect that the smaller milk producer would share fully in the benefit.
§ Mr. Stewart-Smithasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate of the total stocks of butter in the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe stock of butter in the European Economic Community at the end of April, 1971 was estimated to be 49,845 metric tons.
§ Mr. Molyneauxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he expects Northern Ireland to be served by a separate intervention centre for certain products under the Common Agricultural Policy in the event of United Kingdom entry into the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartNo decisions have yet been taken on the location of intervention centres, but in considering this matter the Government would take full account of Northern Ireland interests.
§ Mr. Molyneauxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is his estimate of the effect of entry into the European Economic Community on the price of cereals imported into Northern Ireland;
(2) what is his estimate of the effect of entry into the European Economic Community on the price of cereals imported from outside the United Kingdom into Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartAs detailed decisions have still to be taken on the application of the Community's cereals regime to the United Kingdom, meaningful estimates cannot be made at this stage.
§ Mr. Molyneauxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been taken to safeguard the standard of plant health and animal health, respectively, in Northern Ireland in the event of United Kingdom entry into the European Economic Community.
291W
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThere is nothing in the European Economic Community's legislation which would reduce the existing standard of plant health in Northern Ireland in the event of United Kingdom entry into the Community.
The question of preserving the animal health status of Northern Ireland is among those which are being discussed in the negotiations with the Community.
§ Mr. Molyneauxasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will give an assurance that the standard of Brucellosis eradication in Northern Ireland will be safeguarded in the event of United Kingdom entry into European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThis is one of the questions which is being discussed in the E.E.C. entry negotiations.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest estimates for the increase in food
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY—ACREAGES OF APPLES AND PEARS Apples—000 acres 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 Belgium (a) … … … … n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. France—excluding cider apples … … … … 354 351 348 n.a. n.a. Germany (b) … … … … n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Italy … … … … 947 899 839 n.a. n.a. Luxembourg … … … … n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Netherlands … … … … 82 81 78 73 65 Pears—000 acres 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 Belgium … … … … 21 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. France—excluding perry pears … … … … 111 110 111 n.a. n.a. Germany (b) … … … … n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Italy … … … … 902 885 835 n.a. n.a. Luxembourg … … … … n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Netherlands … … … … 25 25 24 23 21 n.a. = Not available. (a) Belgium had 69,000 acres of apples in 1965. (b) There were 50 million apple trees and 14 million pear trees in production in Germany in each of the years 1966, 1967 and 1968.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the amount and the value of apples and pears destroyed by the European Economic Community under the Community intervention policy in the period commencing 1st August, 1970 to date; and how these figures compare with the United Kingdom production.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartIt has been reported that 118,000 tons of apples and 620,000 tons of pears have been with-
292Wprices if Great Britain should join the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. PriorAs I told the House on 21st January, the estimate made in 1970 may now be on the high side.—[Vol. 809, c. 1319.]
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the figures for the acreage of apples and pears in each Common Market country over the last five years, showing separately the acreage grubbed in each country.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartI regret that information is not available for all of the Common Market countries in the form in which my hon. Friend has asked for it, but the following is such information as I possess on apple and pear acreages. On the question of grubbing, I would refer him to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Walthamstow, West (Mr. Jenkin) on 30th April.—[Vol. 816, c.223.]
drawn from Community markets over different periods in member countries since August, 1970 for disposal under Community rules. United Kingdom apple and pear production in the 1970 season is estimated at 538,000 tons and 76,000 tons respectively excluding cider apples and perry pears. Details of value are not available.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list, by volume and value, the products 293W withdrawn from the market under the European Economic Community intervention policies in 1970–71.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe following is the information:
PURCHASES AND SALES UNDER EEC INTERVENTION ARRANGEMENTS (metric tons) CEREALS (1st August, 1970 to 17th May, 1971) Opening Stocks Purchases Sales Closing Stocks Wheat 716,626 15,656 383,545 348,737 Rye 778,472 133,087 344,665 566,894 Barley 205,770 139,062 844 343,988 Durum Wheat 17,163 1,320 16,725 1,758
MILK PRODUCTS (1st January, 1970 to 31st December, 1970) Butter 242,000 251,600 415,000 78,600 Milk Powder 348,000 61,500 318,000 92,000 SUGAR (1st July, 1970 to 26th May, 1971) 125,000 140,000 170,000 95,000 BEEF (1st April, 1970 to 31st March, 1971)…None PORK (intervention authorised from 26th April, 1971)…Neglible
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES (1st July, 1970 to mid-April, 1971) Withdrawals from market Cauliflowers … … 3,800 Tomatoes … … 5,400 Peaches … … 55,000 Pears … … 628,000 Apples … … 154,000 Mandarines … … 22 Oranges … … 91 Figures for the values of the above quantities are not available. SOURCE: Commission of the European Communities.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will announce the terms of compensation for growers of horticultural products whose livelihood would suffer if Great Britain should join the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartMy right hon. Friend has undertaken to discuss with leaders of the industry what help the Government can give in the case of growers faced with difficult problems of adjustment. I cannot yet say when he will be able to make an announcement.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the approximate market intervention price per pound for apples and pears in the European Economic Community in 1970; 294W and how this compares with prices received by the United Kingdom growers.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe information is as follows:
THE INTERVENTION PRICES IN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY FOR APPLES IN 1970 AS COMPARED WITH AVERAGE MONTHLY WHOLESALE PRICES FOR HOME-GROWN APPLES IN 1970 WERE: EEC intervention prices (p per lb.) England and Wales average monthly wholesale prices (p per lb.) Month Golden Delicious Class 1 over 70 mm Cox Class 1 January … 2.49 5.00 February … 2.71 6.61 March … 2.92 6.32 April … 3.27 6.95 May … 3.66 — June … 3.66 — August … 1.76 — September … 1.82 4.83 October … 1.86 3.75 November … 1.91 4.04 December … 2.05 5.28
THE INTERVENTION PRICES IN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY FOR PEARS IN 1970 AS COMPARED WITH AVERAGE MONTHLY WHOLESALE PRICES FOR HOME-GROWN PEARS IN 1970 WERE: Conference Class 1 less than 70 mm Conference Class 1 January … 2.09 4. 83 February … 2.05 5.02 March … 2.04 5.64 July … 2.88 — August … 2.09 — September … 2.08 2.68 October … 2.08 2.82 November … 2.18 2.86 December … 2.34 4.21