§ Mr. Roperasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what price in £ sterling per ton was paid for sugar by the United Kingdom to developing countries in the Commonwealth in the last five years of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement, and subsequently under the EEC's agreement with the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries; and what he 372W estimates has been the effect of EEC membership on sugar prices.
§ Mr. BishopThe average value per ton of raw sugar imported into the United Kingdom from developing countries in each of the last five years of the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement was as follows
1970: £54.4; 1971: £54.4; 1972: £65.0; 1973: £71.6; 1974: £113.0.The corresponding figures for imports into the United Kingdom under the EEC Agreement with the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries for 1975 and 1976 and the first two months of 1977 were as follows:1975: £249.1; 1976: £186.5; 1977 (January and February): £162.1.The above prices are taken from the trade accounts. They do not take account of any monetary compensatory amounts payable.It is not possible to say what prices for sugar might have been paid by the United Kingdom to developing countries in the Commonwealth in the absence of EEC membership or, therefore, to estimate the effect of membership on those prices.