HC Deb 25 January 1982 vol 16 cc286-8W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish details of the provisional figures of exports of various items of foodstuffs and wine to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from the European Economic Community on the same basis as the table provided in his answer of 9 March 1981, Official Report, col. 240, in which figures were given for 1980 exports.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

The most up-to-date figures for 1980 and the provisional figures for 1981 where available are as follows:

'000 tonnes
1980 1981
(i) wheat 576.0 N.A.
(ii) barley 221.9 N.A.
(iii) flour (wheat equivalent) 481.0 N.A.
(iv) malt 167.1 N.A.
1 Jan.— 30 Sept.
(v) butter 103.559 Nil
1 Jan.— 30 June.
(vi) butter oil 43.623 0.095
(vii) skimmed milk powder — N.A.
(viii) beef 100.225 N.A.
(ix) pigmeat neligible 0.2
1 Jan.—30 Nov.
(x) poultrymeat 67.74 73.599
(xi) sugar 924.720 N.A.
1 Jan.—31 July
(xii) wine ('000 hl.) 1490.263 921.024

The availability of figures for 1981 has been affected by the industrial dispute in the United Kingdom Civil Service and difficulties in some other member States.

Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will detail the total amount of food and wine, by commodity, sold to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from the European Economic Community in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; what were the comparable figures in each of the previous three years.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

My reply today to another question by my hon. Friend contains the most up-to-date figures available for exports of food and wine from the European Community to the USSR in 1981 and 1980. Comparable figures for exports in 1979 and 1978 were contained in the replies I gave to my hon. Friend on 8 December 1980.—[Vol. 995, c. 521–2.]

Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply of 20 January, Official Report, column 144, if he will explain the procedures whereby the European Economic Community Commission becomes aware of sales of foodstuffs to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics involving particularly favourable terms; and if the terms of each contract are made available to the Commission.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

The reference in my reply of 20 January to proposals for sales of foodstuffs to the USSR on "particularly favourable terms" was to any such proposals put forward by the European Community Commission themselves. The terms of traders' individual contracts are not available to the Commission.