HC Deb 31 July 1981 vol 9 cc616-20W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated cost to the European Economic Community of the sheepmeat régime in 1981; and what provision has been made for 1982.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

The estimated cost of the sheepmeat régime in the Council's budget for 1981 is 201 million European currency units, or £126 million. The Council's draft budget for 1982 includes a provision of 213 million ECU, or £111 million, for expenditure under the régime.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will bring up to date the information published in the Official Report on 21 November 1979, columns 237–40, in reply to a written question from the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) concerning the prices of sheepmeat.

Mr. Peter Walker

The updated information, which includes revision of wholesale prices given earlier, is as follows:

Sheepmeat
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981
UNITED KINGDOM
Average market price/tonne (i) 374 394 523 706 646 755 1,039 1,245 1,374 1,402 1,268 1,555†
Wholesale price £/tonne (ii)
Home produced 364 384 498 582 668 750 845 1,098 1,250 1,343 1,318 1,645‡
New Zealand 269 301 396 565 597 650 765 963 1,128 1,100 1,199 1,335‡
Landed price £/tonne (iii)
Irish Republic 323 346 410 553 499 552 760 1,000 950 996 1,153 n/a
New Zealand* 312 314 380 557 599 597 719 863 962 992 1,057 n/a
Retail Price Index(iv) 1970=100
Mutton/lamb 100 107 130 172 195 213 266 317 365 401 417 458║
All items excluding foodstuffs 100 109 116 124 143 178 205 236 256 292 349 382║
Consumption per head of mutton and lamb(v)
1970=100 100 103 95 85 78 81 80 76 75 82 86 n/a
* including allowance for 20 per cent, tariff until October 1980, thereafter 10 per cent, tariff.
† January—March
‡ January—July
║ January—June
n/a not available

Sources

  1. (i) Average market price under Fat Sheep Guarantee Scheme and from 20 October 1980 Sheep Variable Premium Scheme (estimated dressed carcase weight based on live weight auction prices).
  2. (ii) Smithfield prices. Reuters quotations.
  3. (iii) United Kingdom Trade Statistics.
  4. (iv) Retail Price Index, Department of Employment.
  5. (v) National Food Survey.