§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will circulate in the Offical Report a table showing the quantity of each of the principal foodstuffs in surplus sold by the European Economic Community on world markets in each of the past three years and the current year to date, and the cost to the European Economic Community in each case by way of export subsidies.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe information on the principal products for which the Community has been a net exporter in this period is provided in the following table:
Wheat Barley Sugar beet Potatoes Output ('000 tons) 6,509 9,694 6,968 7,217 1980 (Provisional) Area ('000 acres) 3,561 5,757 523 509 Output ('000 tons) 8,332 10,159 7,263 6,992 Sources:
1948–1978: "Agricultural Statistics" (MAFF).
1980: "Annual estimates of crop production 1980 Harvest" (MAFF Statistical Press Notice 284/81 of 5 October 1981).
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing for each of the past three years and the current year to date (a) the quantity of each type of foodstuff—including wine—purchased by the Commission, or for which a subsidy was paid to ensure that it was not used for human consumption, (b) the quantity destroyed, used for industrial production or recycled in industry, respectively, (c) the quantity exported as unfit for human consumption and (d) the total cost of each operation.
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§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithI regret that this information is not readily available and could not be provided without disproportionate cost.