§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Overseas Development what provision of milk powder has been made by the EEC as food aid to any Third World nation since January 1974; what were the costs to FEOGA and the country concerned and the relevant totals; and whether any part of these shipments is used for supply of commercially marketed baby foods in any of the countries concerned.
§ Mrs. HartThe Community's 1974 programme allocated 55,000 metric tons of skimmed milk between 19 countries and organisations, at an estimated value of about £17 million. My Ministry is urgently seeking details of the milk powder sent to Third World nations in 1974 from this and earlier EEC programmes. As soon as this is received I shall have copies placed in the Library of the House.
The Community primarily provides the milk for recombination into whole fat milk for needy urban areas—as in India's Operation Dairy Flood—or for properly supervised use by international organisations. In a few cases where recipient 521W countries intend to sell the milk powder locally, the Community is seeking guarantees prior to supply that it will not be marketed in ways that might result in its unsupervised use as artificial baby food. The United Kingdom has played a major part in the World Health Organisation campaign to draw attention to the dangers of manufactured foodstuffs in the feeding of infants.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will list in the Official Reportthe agreements made by the EEC for food aid in cereals to nations of the Third World, since January 1974, stating in each case the costs to the EEC and the nation concerned including the relevant quantities and totals.
Country Tonnage Committed Grain Type Terms Shipment Date Cost £'000 Harvest Year 1972–73 Bangladesh‡ … … 18,000 Wheat … Cif … 4th November 1973 … 1,658* Bangladesh … … 4,500† Wheat … cif … 30th October 1974 … 410† Pakistan‡ … … 10,200 Wheat … fob … January 1974 … 654 Nepal‡ … … 7,000 Barley and Wheat … cif … 21st January 1974 … 781 Indonesia … … 5,000 Wheat … fob … January 1975 … 290 Lesotho‡ … … 6,000 Wheat … cif … February 1974 … 653 The Gambia … … 2,000 Sorghum … Cif … November 1974 … 171 World Food Programme … … 14.600† Various … Cif … 30th January 1975 … 1,140† Harvest Year 1973–74 India … … 30,000 Wheat … fas … May 1975 … (1,770) Bangladesh … … 25,500† Wheat … cif … 30th October 1974 … 2,730† Mali … … 10,000 Maize … Cif … May 1974 … 868 Mali … … 10,000 Maize … Cif … March 1975 … 990 Egyptian Arab Republic … … 10,000 Wheat … fas … March 1975 … 669 Somalia … … 26 Wheat … Cif (air) 23rd December 1974 … 16 World Food Programme … … 30,000 Various … Cif … March 1975 (Part) … 598† June 1975 (Remainder) … (1,650) Harvest Year 1974–75 India§ … … 50,400 Wheat … fas … Not available … (3,427) Bangladesh§ … … 20,000 Wheat … cif … Not available … (1,800) Tanzania§ … … 5,000 Not available … fas … … Not available (340) World Food Programme§ … … 30,000 Various … Cif … … Not available (2,550) Notes: * Shipped prior to 1st January 1974; other 1972–73 programme commitments shipped or to be shipped thereafter. † Shipped with 1973–74 consignment: division of total cost estimated. ‡. Agreements signed before 1st January 1974. § Agreements not yet concluded. Figures in brackets are estimated.