§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what effect joining the European Economic Community on 1st January 1973 will have on the price of sugar supplied to the soft drink manufacturers; what is his estimate of the price in 1973 to 1976; how this compares with previous prices over the last three years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerI have been asked to reply.
The average of the daily prices for sugar in 1 cwt. paper bags ex-refinery was £73.41 per ton in 1970, £83.61 in 1971, and has been £88.74 so far in 1972. The price in 1972 would have been about £10 per ton higher had it not been for the introduction in March of special payments to the Sugar Board to restrain the rise in price.
The price of sugar after our accession to the European Economic Community will depend upon the initial level of the intervention price for white sugar in the United Kingdom, which has not yet been fixed. This initial price will be harmonised gradually with the intervention price prevailing in the member States of the existing Community over the five-year period 1973–77.