HC Deb 18 February 1981 vol 999 cc125-6W
41. Dame Judith Hart

asked the Lord Privy Seal, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 26 January, Official Report, c. 300, if he will make a statement on how he proposes that the commitments to African, Caribbean and Pacific countries for the import of cane sugar will now be honoured, in the light of the closure of Tate and Lyle's factory in Liverpool, and on his consultations with other members of the European Economic Community.

Sir Ian Gilmour

The European Community's commitment to the ACP sugar producers is set out in the sugar protocol to the Lomé convention. This commitment, undertaken by the Community as a whole, is to purchase and import specific quantities of sugar at guaranteed prices. The commitment is not linked to cane refining capacity in the Community. It is therefore not affected by closure of the Tate and Lyle Liverpool refinery.