§ Mr. Jayasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the guaranteed price each year after 1960 for each agricultural commodity for which a guaranteed price existed in the United Kingdom; and how these prices compared with the relevant intervention and threshold prices in Germany and France on 1st March 1975.
§ Mr. Bishop:Tables 1 and 2 below give the available information.
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1972–73 1973–74† 1974–75‡ 1975–76 Fat Cattle (per live cwt.) … … £13.20 — — — Fat Sheep and Lamb (per lb. edcw) … … 24.3p 26.5p 29.5p 35.5p Fat Pigs§ (per score d'wt.) … … £2.81 £3.27 £3.49 — Eggs—Hen (per dozen) … … 16.0p 16.0p — — Eggs—Duck (per dozen) … … 15.5p 15.5p — — Wool (per lb.) … … 23.0p 25.0p 26.0p 31.0p Milk (average per gallon) … … 23.1p 24.6p 26.27p 34.75p Wheat (per cwt.) … … £1.72 £36.70 £39.62 £51.80 Barley (per cwt.) … … £1.56 £33.20 £35.73 £46.80 Oats (per cwt.) … … £1.51 £32.00 £34.20 £44.60 Rye (per cwt.) … … £1.08 — — — Potatoes (per ton) … … £16.55 £17.00 £22.00 £28.00 Sugar Beet (per ton) … … £8.00 £6.97 — — * This column includes revised prices fixed following the adjustment made in October 1970 (see Adjustment of Agricultural Guaranteed Prices (Cmnd. 4498) of October 1970). † The termination of the guarantees on fat cattle (w.e.f. 26th March 1973) and rye (w.e.f. 1st July 1973) was announced on 7th March 1973. At the 1973 Annual Review, the decision was taken to determine guaranteed prices for cereals in £ per ton instead of £ per cwt. and their guarantee year was changed to an August-July basis. The 1973–74 guarantee year for cereals therefore ran from 1st July 1973 to 31st July 1974. ‡ The guarantees on sugar beet and eggs were terminated on 30th June 1974 and 30th March 1974 respectively. Revised determinations for certain commodities for 1974–75 were subsequently announced. Details were given in the 1975 Annual Review White Paper (Cmnd. 5977). § The pigs guarantee is to be terminated after 27th July 1975; a revised determination for 1974–75 of £4.03 per score covers the period from 28th October 1974 to this date. Note: Certain of the guaranteed prices were related to standard quantities, feed formulae and other adjustments which varied over the years. Details are given in the relevant Annual Review of Agriculture White Papers except for 1973–74: the detailed guarantee arrangements for 1973–74 were announced on 21st March 1973 (Hansard, Vol. 853, cc. 433–434).
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TABLE 2 EEC INSTITUTIONAL PRICES IN GERMANY AND FRANCE ON 1ST MARCH 1975* Beef† (£/live cwt.) … … Intervention price … … … 23.87 Guide price … … … 25.67 Pigs (£/score) … … Intervention price … … … 3.75 to 4.06 Sluicegate price plus basic levy … … … 4.59 Eggs (per dozen) … … Sluicegate price plus basic levy … … … 28.05 Milk (per gallon) … … Target price … … … 32.87 Wheat (£/ton) … … Intervention price (Germany)‡ … … … 61.59 Intervention price (France)‡ … … … 60.60 Threshold price … … … 67.29 Barley (£/ton) … … Intervention price … … … 55.30 Threshold price … … … 61.28 Oats (£/ton) … … Threshold price … … … 57.84 Rye(£/ton) … … Intervention price … … … 58.08 Threshold price … … … 65.79 Sugar Beet (£/ton) … … Minimum beet price … … … 10.02 * Imperial units have been calculated at a representative rate of £1 = 2.0053UA. A new rate of £1 = 1.96178UA was formally introduced on 3rd March 1975 and takes practical effect for individual commodities from the commencement of their respective marketing years. The prices shown are subject to various adjustments and conditions which need to be taken into account in comparing them with United Kingdom guaranteed prices: for instance the EEC intervention prices for cereals apply at the intervention centre whereas the United Kingdom guaranteed prices for cereals apply ex farm; and whereas the United Kingdom guaranteed price for sugar beet until 1972–73 applied to beet delivered to the factory, the minimum beet prices fixed by the EEC apply to beet at the farm gate or collection point and, in addition, supplements are payable for the residual pulp and for transport to the factory. † Prices are for adult cattle. ‡ These are regional intervention prices. The prices shown are for the Hamburg region in Germany and the Rouen region in France.