§ Mr. Leeasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will enumerate what steps, if any, he is taking to enable consumers in the United Kingdom to take advantage of the low world price of sugar as compared with the prevailing Common Market price; and if he has had any response from the Common Market authorities as a result of his endeavours.
§ Mr. MaclennanAll the United Kingdom's supplies of sugar for domestic consumption are from United Kingdom and other EEC beet and cane from developing countries associated with the Community under the terms of the Lomé Convention and associated agreements. The Commonwealth Sugar Agreement similarly governed our imports of cane sugar before our entry into the EEC. Although we do not take advantage of periodic low price supplies on the world market and did not do so before accession to the EEC, these arrangements protect our consumers from the extreme volatility of world prices and have the advantage of ensuring continuing and secure supplies.