HC Deb 01 April 1976 vol 908 cc561-5W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection (1) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of bread was between 6.6p a lb and 10.4p a lb and on 13th January 1976 this had risen from 11.7p a lb to 17.3p a lb, to what extent she estimates these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(2) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of milk was 5.5p a pint and that on 13th January 1976 this has risen to 8.5p a pint, to what extent she expects milk prices to rise as a result of the recently announced EEC agreement on food prices;

(3) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of imported butter was between 23.7p and 25.2p a lb and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 34.0p and 36.4p a lb, to what extent she expects these prices will rise as a result of the recently announced EEC agreement on food prices;

(4) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of ham (not shoulder) was 62.4p a lb and that on 13th January 1976 that had risen to 107.9p a lb, to what extent she expects this price will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(5) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of broiler and roasting chickens varied between 18.7p a lb and 22.4p a lb and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 29.9p a lb and 35.8p a lb, to what extent she estimates these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(6) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of lard was 8.7p a lb and that on 13th January 1976 this was 19.9p a lb, to what extent she expects this price to rise as a result of the recently announced EEC agreement on food prices;

(7) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of pork luncheon meat was 14.5p a lb and that on 13th January 1976 this had risen to 28.7p a lb, to what extent she estimates this price will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(8) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of imported lamb was between 9.9p a lb and 40.1p a lb and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 17.6p a lb and 63.7p a lb, to what extent she expects these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(9) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of canned red salmon (half size can) was 33.4p and that on 13th January 1976 this had risen to 70.1p a lb, to what extent she expects this price will rise as a result of the recently announced EEC agreement on food prices;

(10) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of margarine was between 5.2p a lb and 6.1p a lb and that on 13th January 1976 this was 11.2p a lb to 11.7p a lb, to what extent she expects these prices will rise as a result of the recently announced EEC agreement on food prices;

(11) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of imported chilled beef was between 41.2p a lb and 66.3p a lb, if she will give the figures for 13th January 1976; and to what extent she expects these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(12) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of sugar and instant coffee was 4.35p a lb and 117.6p a lb, respectively, and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 11.4p a lb and 170.00p a lb, to what extent she expects these prices will rise as a result of the recently announced EEC agreement on food prices;

(13) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC, the average price of eggs was between 20p and 25.lp a dozen and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 31.4p to 39.6p a dozen, to what extent she expects these prices to rise as a result of the recently announced EEC agreement on food prices;

(14) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of Cheddar-type cheese was 32.0p a lb. and that on 13th January 1976 this had risen to 9.5p to 12.8p a ¼ lb, to what extent she expects these prices to rise as a result of the recently announced EEC agreement on food prices;

(15) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of Cheddar-type cheese was 32.0p a lb. and that on 13th January 1976 this was 47.6p a lb., to what extent she expects these prices will rise as a result of the recently announced EEC agreement on food prices;

(16) what was the price of home-produced butter on 12th December, 1972 and at the latest stated date; and to what extent she expects this price to rise as a result of the recently announced EEC agreement on food prices;

(17) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of home-killed beef was between 30.3p a lb. and 82.7p a lb. and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 61.9p a lb. and 122.3p a lb., to what extent she expects these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(18) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of bacon was between 28.6p a lb. and 44.6p a lb. and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 65.4p a lb. and 86.8p a lb., to what extent she estimates these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(19) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of fresh fruit was between 8.8p a lb. and 13.1p a lb. and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 13.7p a lb. and 19.2p a lb., to what extent she expects these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(20) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of flour (self raising) was 12.1p a lb. and that on 13th January 1976 this had risen to 20.0p a lb., to what extent she expects these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(21) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of fresh vegetables was between 2.2p a lb. and 18.9p a lb. and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 7.0p a lb. and 32.8p a lb., to what extent she estimates these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(22) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of fresh and smoked fish was between 17.4p a lb. and 67.9p a lb., and on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 31.4 p a lb. and 110.3p a lb., to what extent she expects these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(23) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of beef and pork sausages was 20.6p to 23.3p a lb. and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 33.6p a lb. and 38.2p a lb., to what extent she expects these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(24) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of home killed lamb was between 14.4p a lb. and 48.1p a lb. and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 23.4p a lb. and 76.6p a lb., to what extent she estimates these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices;

(25) in view of the fact that immediately before Great Britain's entry into the EEC the average price of home killed pork was between 25.1p a lb. and 45.8p a lb. and that on 13th January 1976 these had risen to 48.6p a lb. and 80.1p a lb., to what extent she estimates these prices will rise as a result of the recent EEC agreement on food prices.

Mr. Maclennan

As I said in my reply to my hon. Friend on 11th March [Hansard, col. 322], it is not possible to predict how food prices would have moved had we not joined the EEC in January 1973. Decisions on agricultural support and prices of 1976–77 are unlikely to result in any early increase in the retail price of sugar, bread, flour, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, pigmeat, pigmeat products, eggs or poultry.

Average prices for imported chilled beef on 13th January 1976 were not collected for the purposes of the General Index of Retail Prices. Retail beef prices are likely to be influenced far more by reduced supplies than by new levels of CAP prices. The premium scheme will allow consumers to obtain beef more cheaply than under an intervention system alone.

Average prices for home-produced butter on 12th December 1972 were not collected for the purposes of the General Index of Retail Prices. The average price of home-produced butter on 17th February 1976, the latest available date, was 37.3p per lb. The retail price of butter may rise by about 2½p per lb. by the end of the year as a result of the CAP price decisions, in addition to the 5–6p per lb. as a result of the transitional step. The retail price of cheese is expected to rise by 2p a lb. by the end of the year with a further 3p a lb. through the transitional step.

It is not expected that it will be necessary to raise the retail price of liquid milk before the end of the year.

Lamb, margarine, tea, instant coffee, canned salmon and fresh and smoked fish are not subject to decisions taken in the course of the Common Agricultural Policy price settlement.

Overall, the price package is likely to add about 1¼ per cent. to retail food prices by the end of the year. Transitional steps may add about a further 1 per cent. The total effect on the General Index of Retail Prices is likely to be between ½ per cent. and 1 per cent.